Border czar Tom Homan indicated the Trump administration would abide by court orders regarding deportations, though he's comfortable knowing the laws are firmly in their favor, and they will "continue to arrest" threats to the United States.
The comments come as controversy rages over Federal District Court Judge James Boasberg, who essentially ordered illegal alien deportation flights to El Salvador to be re-routed back home mid-flight.
The New York Times reported Thursday that Boasberg might hold the administration in contempt for "possibly having violated his ruling pausing the deportation."
Homan addressed the situation in an interview with ABC News anchor Jonathan Karl on Sunday morning. Karl referenced Homan's insistence last week that the administration is "not stopping," and frankly, he didn't care what the activist judge had to say on the matter.
Karl asked for clarification, and Homan didn't waver.
"I don't care what that judge thinks as far as this case. We're going to continue to arrest public safety threats and national security threats," he said. "We’re going to continue to deport them from the United States."
“I don’t care what that judge thinks as far as this case.”
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) March 23, 2025
Trump’s border czar Tom Homan doubles down on his criticism for the federal judge who blocked deportation flights, but says the administration will not defy court orders. https://t.co/0WHh53VBWU pic.twitter.com/qMzT2Y7vQd
Homan, who has worked as a border enforcement official under both Donald Trump and Barack Obama, pointed out that the White House can abide by the orders and simultaneously have the law backing their efforts to continue carrying out the most extensive mass deportation effort in American history.
RELATED: Tom Homan Gives New Meaning to the Word ICE, Calmly Eats an Apple While Protesters Scream at Him
Judge Threatens to Hold Trump DOJ in Contempt in Latest Order on Deportation Flights
In a masterclass moment, he explains precisely why the law is on their side.
"I understand this case is in litigation through the Alien Enemies Act, and we'll abide by the court order as litigated," Homan stated. "But my point was, despite what he (Boasberg) thinks, we're going to keep targeting the worst of the worst, which we've been doing since day one, and deporting them from the United States through the various laws on the book."
"We're not making this up," he added. "The Alien Enemies Act was actually a federal law; it’s a statute enacted by Congress and signed by a president."
When pressed by @JonKarl about due process for deported migrants allegedly tied to gangs, Trump border czar Tom Homan says officials are “confident they’re all members of the TDA.”
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) March 23, 2025
"We're actually using the laws on the books to enforce immigration laws.” https://t.co/oO9fEVxwH1 pic.twitter.com/0ESncDBUhC
President Trump vowed repeatedly on the campaign trail to invoke The Alien Enemies Act, part of the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798, to end “the scourge of illegal alien gang violence once and for all.”
Homan is putting words into action.
The law states that a president may order non-citizens “to be apprehended, restrained, secured, and removed as alien enemies” when he or she is deemed as coming from a “hostile nation.”
Homan went beyond the Alien Enemies Act, something he seems surprised that a federal judge is attempting to relitigate, and noted the oft-cited Title VIII authority to arrest and deport criminal illegal aliens.
"Put that aside, we still have Title Eight authority to remove illegal aliens from the United States, and we’re going to continue to concentrate on those who are the biggest threat to our communities, the public safety threats," said the border chief.
Title 8, U.S.C. § 1324 makes it a criminal offense for anyone to knowingly "conceal, harbor, or shield from detection" illegal aliens. Those wondering about that code can read more about it here.
Karl notes that the Trump administration has mobilized to protect the southern border, including "10,000 U.S. troops deployed to support your mission" and "two Navy destroyers that have been deployed to patrol the waters around the border as well."
Homan warned they intend to continue using every asset at their disposal.
As the Trump administration increases number of troops deployed to the border, border czar Tom Homan says: “We’ll use these assets as long as we can until we can get to the point where we have total operational control over the border." https://t.co/PXbSR0Y8bi pic.twitter.com/kmHDSBSHz2
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) March 23, 2025
"We’re going to secure the border, both the land border and the maritime border, to make sure these public safety threats and national security threats won't get into the country," Homan concluded.
"So, we’ll use these assets as long as we can until we get to the point where we – we have total operational control of the border and national security threats have a new avenue into this country."
Editor's Note: This article was updated post-publication for clarity.
Thanks to President Trump, illegal immigration into our great country has virtually stopped. Despite the radical left's lies, new legislation wasn't needed to secure our border, just a new president.
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