Fox News host Jessie Watters sat down with former ICE Director Tom Homan, now serving as President Trump’s border czar, to discuss the incoming administration’s plans to tackle immigration enforcement. The conversation, filled with sharp critiques of the Biden administration’s border policies, emphasized swift action starting Tuesday, one day after President Trump’s inauguration.
Homan confirmed to Waters, “There’s going to be a big raid all across the country. Chicago is just one of many places. We’ve got 24 field offices across the country. ICE is finally going to go out and do their job.” He elaborated that the agency would be returning to enforcing immigration laws without restrictions. “We’re taking the handcuffs off ICE and letting them arrest criminal aliens.”
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Homan criticized the current state of the border. “Mayorkas inherited the most secure border of my lifetime. All he had to do was sit there and do nothing,” Homan said. He argued that under the Biden administration, border security was deliberately dismantled. “They systematically destroyed that border. They knew exactly what they were doing.”
Watters pressed Homan about his plans moving forward, noting, “So, am I blowing your cover when I announce there’s going to be a big raid in Chicago on Tuesday? Or do you want people to know?”
When asked about ICE’s role under the Biden administration, Homan was direct. “For the last four years, they haven’t been able to do much. Secretary Mayorkas had new priorities, telling ICE they could only arrest illegal aliens if they were convicted of a serious crime or posed a national security threat. That’s not enforcing immigration law,” he said. “Well, we’re telling ICE now: enforce the law without apology. Public safety threats come first, but no one is off the table.”
Watters and Homan also discussed the recent passage of the Lake and Riley Act in the Senate, which strengthens penalties for repeat immigration offenders. Homan expressed relief, saying, “God bless her. Too many young women in this country have been raped, murdered, or burned alive because of this administration’s open-border policies.”
As the conversation turned to the broader strategy, Homan assured viewers, “President Trump is taking the Oval Office, and all of that’s going to turn around real quickly.” He outlined plans for a large-scale deportation operation and efforts to locate missing migrant children. “Doesn’t matter where you swear our men in, as long as you swear them in,” he added.
Watters closed the discussion with a nod to the urgency of the situation. “All right, have a nice weekend. We’ll look for a lot of action next week,” he said.
The conversation highlighted a dramatic shift in immigration policy, with the Trump administration promising immediate and aggressive action to restore what they see as a secure and orderly system.