Tom Homan, the new “border czar” appointed by Donald Trump, has made a strong commitment to boosting immigration enforcement efforts in Los Angeles. He has pledged to increase the number of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in the city by twofold, with the aim of carrying out widespread deportations.
Los Angeles, along with other sanctuary cities, is determined to oppose Trump’s plan of executing the “largest” mass deportation of migrants within the initial 24 hours of his return to the White House in January. Mayor Karen Bass,, a Democrat, extended her support to a sanctuary ordinance, which received unanimous approval from the L.A. City Council on Tuesday.
During a Newsmax appearance on Friday, Homan expressed his belief that federal immigration officers would not adhere to the sanctuary status of the California city and would instead carry out Trump’s deportation plans. According to him, the president-elect has a “mandate” to deport migrants nationwide, regardless of the opposition from local officials.
L.A. City Council member Hugo Soto-Martínez recently stated on MSNBC that the city would refuse to collaborate with or enforce Trump’s “deportation machine.” In response, Homan expressed concern that the official’s actions could jeopardize public safety by defying Trump.
“Federal law always takes precedence over state and local law, so if you’re not willing to assist, please step aside,” Homan passionately stated. “We are determined to carry out our duties, and nothing will hinder us. It is important to remember that knowingly harboring and concealing an undocumented immigrant is a felony. I fail to understand why anyone would object to this.”
“He emphasized, “If I have to deploy twice as many officers to L.A. due to the lack of assistance, that is exactly what we will do. We have a clear mandate from President Trump, and I am fully committed to this cause. Whether you choose to support us or not, this operation will proceed as planned.”
The new ordinance in Los Angeles instructs local authorities to refrain from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement efforts in most situations. Last week, Bass, in a statement, urged the council to pass the measure, highlighting that it would effectively address the increasing threats faced by immigrant communities in Los Angeles and contribute to making our communities stronger and our city better.
On Friday, Bass’ office was contacted by Newsweek via email for comment.
On November 10, Trump announced on Truth Social that Homan, who served as the acting ICE director during his first administration and is a contributor to Project 2025, would assume responsibility for overseeing our nation’s borders.
“I have known Tom for a considerable amount of time, and there is no one more skilled in upholding and managing our borders,” Trump expressed. “Similarly, Tom Homan will oversee all efforts in deporting illegal immigrants back to their respective countries of origin.”
During a recent interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Homan issued a warning to Democrats about challenging him and President Trump in the coming year. He emphasized that migrants would face consequences when the White House transitions to a new administration.
“We are focusing on addressing public safety threats and national security threats right from the start,” he stated. “Which politician, whether they are a mayor or governor, would say, ‘No, I want public safety threats to persist in my community’? That’s just absurd.”
He expressed his viewpoint, stating, “If you are in the country without legal documentation, you cannot escape scrutiny. Crossing the border without authorization is considered a crime. Every individual who enters the country illegally has committed an offense. Being present in the country without proper documentation is not permissible…. Therefore, if you find yourself in this situation, you will face consequences.”
Homan and other supporters of Trump have claimed that his immigration policies are a result of a mandate from his “landslide” election victory over Vice President Kamala Harris. However, upon closer examination of the final vote counts, it is clear that his win was actually quite narrow.
Despite Trump’s unexpected popular vote win, his final margin of victory is projected to be less than 2 percent, making it the smallest margin in a presidential election since George W. Bush’s defeat of Al Gore in 2000.
