Major Controversies Surrounding Tom Homan: A Detailed Timeline

Public opinion and media debates around Tom Homan—discover key moments of controversy.

Tom Homan is an American law enforcement officer and political commentator. He notably served as the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from January 2017 to June 2018. Homan's career is primarily defined by his work in immigration enforcement. In November 2024, he was designated as "border czar" by President-elect Donald Trump, signifying his continued involvement in immigration policy during Trump's prospective second presidency.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

2014: Advocated for separating children from caregivers

By 2014, Thomas Homan had begun to argue that separating children from their caregivers would be an effective means of discouraging illegal border crossings, outlining this strategy years before its adoption by the Trump administration.

February 2018: Statement on Sanctuary City Policies

In February 2018, Thomas Homan stated that politicians who support sanctuary city policies should be charged with crimes.

April 2018: Advised "zero tolerance" policy

In April 2018, Thomas Homan and Kevin McAleenan formally advised Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen to implement the Trump administration's "zero tolerance" policy on immigration, including the prosecution of parents and the separation of children from their families.

May 2018: Participated in Press Conference Announcing Immigration Policy

In May 2018, Thomas Homan participated in the press conference announcing that the "zero tolerance" immigration policy was going into effect.

June 5, 2018: Defended Family Separation Policy

On June 5, 2018, Thomas Homan appeared for a discussion with the policy director of the Center for Immigration Studies, where he defended the separation of children from their parents.

July 2019: Testimony Before House Oversight Committee

In July 2019, Thomas Homan testified before the House Oversight Committee regarding the Trump administration's family separation policy, making claims about border crossings and child mortality.

November 2022: Launched "Defend the Border and Save Lives" Project

In November 2022, Thomas Homan launched a border-focused project called "Defend the Border and Save Lives" in collaboration with the United West.

June 2024: Speaker at anti-immigration event

In June 2024, Thomas Homan was a featured speaker at an anti-immigration event hosted by Terry Newsome in Chicago.

July 2024: Statements at National Conservatism Conference and Republican National Convention

In July 2024, Thomas Homan made statements at the National Conservatism Conference meeting and at the 2024 Republican National Convention about deportation plans, immigration policies, and designating drug cartels as terrorist organizations.

October 2024: Guest on podcast

In October 2024, Thomas Homan was a guest on Terry Newsome's podcast.

February 2025: Meetings with Proud Boys associate

In February 2025, Hatewatch reported that Thomas Homan met multiple times with Proud Boys associate Terry Newsome.

February 2025: Dispute with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

In February 2025, Thomas Homan got into a dispute with New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez over her educating immigrants about their constitutional rights. He suggested that the Department of Justice should investigate Ocasio-Cortez.

February 2025: Comments on NYC mayor cooperation

In February 2025, while appearing with New York City mayor Eric Adams on the Fox News program Fox & Friends, Thomas Homan discussed Adams' cooperation with ICE on immigration issues.

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March 2025: Deportation to El Salvador

In March 2025, two planeloads of people alleged to be Venezuelan gang members were deported to El Salvador, defying a court order blocking the deportations. Thomas Homan told the media that the Trump administration completed the deportations despite the court order.