Tom Homan is an American law-enforcement official and veteran of federal immigration enforcement who serves as the White House border czar in President Donald Trump’s second administration, since January 2025. He was acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from January 2017 to June 2018 and earlier led ICE deportation operations during the Obama administration.
We have documented 7 statements by Tom Homan, in 4 cases. Each statement below gives the quotation, its original source and a link to the full case.
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Role at the time: White House border czar, interviewed on Fox News' The Big Weekend Show
Defended or excused
Statement summary
White House border czar Tom Homan said on Fox News' The Big Weekend Show that he has been told investigators have "a strong case" against Rep. Ilhan Omar. He said she could be denaturalized and deported if the evidence shows she lied during naturalization.
“I said over a year ago, the allegations were made clear, and it would be investigated, and they are investigating it,” … “I'm not going to get ahead of the bureau or HSI, but I've been told they have a strong case, and we'll let the evidence lead where it leads.”
Open source (opens in a new tab)Homan says Ilhan Omar could be stripped of naturalization, deported if immigration fraud is proven · Fox NewsHoman's remarks on The Big Weekend Show, Saturday, October 17; embedded video 6407025884112
Why we used this label
Homan says he will not get ahead of investigators, but he describes the case against Omar as strong and says denaturalization and deportation could follow. That supports the investigation and the public accusation behind it. The closest competing label is declining to comment, because he will not discuss the evidence; it loses because he characterizes the strength of the case.
Role at the time: White House border czar, speaking on Fox News' Saturday in America
Defended or excused
Statement summary
Mediaite reported that White House border czar Tom Homan told Fox News the man "tried to run an officer over" with his car and did not comply with lawful orders, and blamed Gov. Kathy Hochul's and Mayor Zohran Mamdani's sanctuary policies. Homan said that if federal agents had had access to him when the NYPD first arrested him, none of this would have happened, and that the men and women of ICE are patriots.
“tried to run an officer over ... If we would have had access to him when he was originally arrested by NYPD, none of this would have happened ... The men and women of ICE are patriots.”
Open source (opens in a new tab)Tom Homan Rages at Mamdani for 'Emboldening' People 'Not to Comply' with ICE After Agent Shoots Man While 5-Year-Old Is In the Car (Mediaite)Paragraphs quoting Tom Homan on Fox News' Saturday in America: the claim that the man tried to run an officer over, the access remark, and the closing remark about ICE officers.
Why we used this label
The reference point is whether the ICE officer was justified in shooting the man in the car. Homan says the man tried to run an officer over with his car, says sanctuary policies are to blame for the confrontation and calls ICE's men and women patriots, which supports the officer's conduct as justified, so we labeled it Defended or excused. The closest competing label is Challenged the characterization, because he rebuts critics' account of the shooting; he goes on to defend the agents themselves, so it loses.
On Fox News, Homan said he had not seen operational plans or discussions of immigration enforcement operations at polling places, called the claims "another fear tactic", and said, "There is no plan to sweep polling places looking for illegal aliens".
“I have not seen any operational plans or any discussions on any immigration enforcement operation at polling places. This is another fear tactic. This is another attack on ICE and this administration.
…
I want to put that to bed. There is no plan to sweep polling places looking for illegal aliens.”
Watch the original video (opens in a new tab)Tom Homan Reacts to Denver Lawsuit Seeking to Block ICE at Polls (Fox News video) · Fox NewsFox News Sunday Briefing, Sept. 13, 2026; answer on polling places, about 1:05 to 1:30 and 1:55 to 2:15 of the clip
Why we used this label
The fixed reference point is the administration's stated or threatened use of ICE at or near polling places. Homan said he had seen no plans and that there is no plan to sweep polling places, which denies the alleged plan. Challenges the characterization loses because he denied the plan itself and did not merely dispute how critics describe it.
Role at the time: White House border czar, interviewed on Fox News’ The Sunday Briefing
Defended or excused
Statement summary
Asked on Fox News’ The Sunday Briefing whether the federal government has evidence that Rep. Ilhan Omar committed immigration or naturalization fraud, White House border czar Tom Homan said he was “not going to comment on ongoing criminal investigation” and could not “give specifics,” but said that if someone committed an immigration violation or marriage fraud, “regardless if they’re a congressman or not, no one’s above the law,” and that Homeland Security Investigations would continue the investigation. Pressed on whether he was confirming an investigation into Omar, he answered, as Fox’s article prints it, “I’m confirming that ICE is, yeah — look, I said months ago that there’s something that’s been reported and needs to be looked at.”
“I’m not going to comment on ongoing criminal investigation. I know things are going on, but I can’t give specifics of what’s happening.” … “if someone committed marriage fraud or anything like that, regardless if they’re a congressman or not, no one’s above the law. So I’ll leave it at that. We’ll let HSI, Homeland Security Investigations, continue the investigation.”
Homan neither states the allegation as fact nor gives specifics. He says that if someone committed an immigration violation or marriage fraud, “no one’s above the law,” that HSI will continue the investigation, and, pressed on whether he was confirming an investigation, gives an answer that Fox’s article prints as “I’m confirming that ICE is, yeah — look, I said months ago that there’s something that’s been reported and needs to be looked at.” That defends the investigation and its announcement. The closest competing label is “Explicitly stayed out”, because he says he will not comment on the investigation; it loses because he then endorses the inquiry and answers the follow-up question that asks him to confirm it.
Tom Homan said Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Joan Sebastian Guerrero would be alive if they had complied with federal vehicle stops, while reserving final fault determinations for the investigations.
“Well, bottom line is, we'll see when the investigation plays out, but they would be alive today if they simply complied with- with a vehicle stop by federal law enforcement. Just comply.”
Open the original interview (opens in a new tab)Transcript: Border czar Tom Homan on Face the Nation, July 19, 2026Exchange beginning with Margaret Brennan’s question about the fatal Houston and Maine shootings; paragraphs beginning “Well, bottom line” through Homan’s emergency-lights caveat
Why we used this label
On the ICE officer’s fatal use of force against Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, Homan shifts responsibility to the people who were killed and presents compliance as what would have prevented the shootings. That excuses the fatal force despite his separate caveat that the investigation remained open.
Role at the time: White House border czar, speaking on stage with Benny Johnson at a Turning Point USA event at Baylor University
Defended or excused
Statement summary
Asked on stage by Benny Johnson whether the Trump administration is “going to go there” on Rep. Ilhan Omar, White House border czar Tom Homan said “the whole file is being reviewed,” that “a lot of smart people are on it,” and “stay tuned.” Asked which crimes might be involved, he said he could not “get ahead of the investigation” but that “people are involved in the review” and that it is “in good hands.”
“The whole file is being reviewed. A lot of smart people are on it. Stay tuned.” … “I can’t get ahead of the investigation, but I know people are involved in the review, and they’re really smart people, and it’s in good hands.”
Watch the original video (opens in a new tab)Tom Homan on stage with Benny Johnson at a Turning Point USA event (video clip) · Benny Johnson00:58–01:36 (Homan’s answers on Rep. Ilhan Omar).
Why we used this label
Homan neither states the allegation as fact nor gives details, but, asked whether the administration is “going to go there” on Omar, he says “the whole file is being reviewed” and tells the audience to “stay tuned.” That defends the announced review. The closest competing label is “Explicitly stayed out”, because he says he cannot “get ahead of the investigation”; it loses because he first describes a review in progress and invites anticipation of its results.
On The Charlie Kirk Show, Homan was asked whether ICE would be at the polls. He asked, "what are they afraid of?", and said, "I'm not going to say, you know, you know, what our plan is going forward". He added that if only U.S. citizens can vote, "I don't see the issue of what they're concerned about".
“Are illegal aliens voting? I mean, bottom line is, what are they afraid of? And they say illegal aliens don’t vote. Well, look, you know, part of DHS’ job is secure elections, and I’m not going to say, you know, you know, what our plan is going forward, but if only U.S. citizens can vote, I don’t see the issue of what they’re concerned about”
Open source (opens in a new tab)Homan on Democrats opposing ICE at voting sites: ‘What are they afraid of?’ · The HillReport published March 25, 2026 at 10:59 a.m. ET on Homan's Tuesday remarks on The Charlie Kirk Show
Why we used this label
The reference point is the administration's stated or threatened use of ICE and other armed federal agents at or near polling places in the 2026 election. Homan neither said ICE would be at polling places nor ruled it out: he declined to say what the plan is and asked what Democrats are afraid of if only citizens vote. Defends or excuses loses because he did not argue for agents at polling places, and explicitly declines loses because he also argued there is nothing to be concerned about.
An ICE officer shot a man in a car in Marble Hill on October 8. DHS calls it a targeted arrest and had not said by October 9 why the officer fired. Mamdani says early reports indicate agents surrounded the man and child before firing.
ICE says an officer shot Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in self-defense after he used his van as a weapon. Passenger witnesses dispute the claimed threat, and a Harris County grand jury is reviewing the shooting.
Ilhan Omar denies officials' claim that she married her brother and says DHS has not contacted her. Compare the interviews, her responses and the available evidence about a claimed investigation.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin says ICE would go to polling places only for a threat or a warrant, and DHS says ICE is not planning operations targeting them but arrests could follow a threat. Three lawsuits allege that position violates federal law.
