President-elect Donald Trump’s newly appointed border czar has issued a warning to migrants residing in the U.S. unlawfully, urging them to voluntarily leave the country before the upcoming Trump administration takes office.
On Monday, President Trump appointed Tom Homan as the new border czar. Homan, who previously served as the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement during the Trump administration, has been tasked with the responsibility of curbing illegal immigration.
During his appearance on Fox News, host Sean Hannity questioned Homan about the possibility of a “grace period” for undocumented migrants to make necessary arrangements before they were required to leave the country during the Trump administration.
“Criminals and gang members will not be given any grace period,” Homan responded firmly. “As we focus on prioritizing public safety threats and national security threats, those who wish to self-deport should do so. It is important to note that we have knowledge of your identity, and we will actively pursue and apprehend you.”
“If you choose to self-deport, that’s perfectly acceptable. However, criminals and gang members will not receive any leniency from this administration. You entered this country unlawfully, which is a criminal offense. Moreover, you have committed various crimes against American citizens, including some extremely serious ones. There will be no grace period for you. Rest assured, we will be actively pursuing you,” he emphasized.
Homan expressed his support for the self-deportation of undocumented migrants residing in the United States who were not involved in criminal activities or gang affiliations.
“But for those who are not involved in criminal activities, I fully support the idea of self-deportation. It allows individuals to take care of their family affairs, including their businesses and homes, and leave the country together as a family unit,” he expressed.
During his campaign, Trump made a significant promise to execute the largest deportation effort in U.S. history. However, despite similar pledges during his 2016 presidential run, his administration fell short of reaching that goal. In fact, the highest number of deportations under Trump’s presidency was 350,000, considerably less than the 432,000 deportations carried out by then-President Barack Obama in 2013, which remains the highest annual total on record.
According to Trump, he plans to utilize the National Guard in order to gather migrants and invoke the Alien Enemies Act. This particular law, established in 1798, grants the president the authority to deport noncitizens from countries with which the United States is engaged in war.
The Trump campaign has been contacted by Newsweek for comment on whether the president-elect supports the idea of migrants self-deporting.
Homan not only served in Trump’s first administration but also made valuable contributions to Project 2025, the conservative agenda that Trump distanced himself from during the campaign.
Project 2025 suggests detaining undocumented immigrants who have committed felonies, violent crimes, DUIs, prior deportations, or any offense considered a threat to national security or public safety according to the law.
The plan outlined in Project 2025 aims to remove the T and U visas, which provide legal status to individuals who have been victims of serious crimes and human trafficking and have assisted law enforcement.
Furthermore, it calls for the repeal of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program, which allows migrants from dangerous regions to legally reside in the United States. This proposed action would have an impact on nearly 1.2 million people who currently hold or are eligible for TPS.
During Trump’s first administration, around 400,000 migrants had their TPS paused. However, following extensive legal proceedings, the Biden administration not only reinstated the program but also expanded it to include all affected countries.
During a recent interview with CBS News, Homan stated that families could potentially face deportation together under Trump’s mass deportation plan. He emphasized that the administration’s deportation efforts would be focused and targeted.
During the first Trump administration, Thomas Homan, as the head, was responsible for the management of a significant number of children under U.S. custody. In 2018, the Department of Health and Human Services reported that there were a staggering 12,800 immigrant children under their care.
In 2017, Homan made an announcement that his agency would actively arrest undocumented individuals who stepped forward to take care of migrant children. This policy had been avoided by previous administrations.
“You can’t simply hide in the shadows,” Homan declared during a border security event in Washington. He stressed the importance of parents standing side by side with their children in court.
“We will initiate immigration proceedings against the parents, at the very least,” he continued, stating, “Is this cruel? I don’t believe so.”
In the year, he expressed his view to Congress, stating that individuals residing in the United States without legal documentation “should feel a sense of fear.”