Authored by Zachary Stieber via The Epoch Times,
Incoming border czar Tom Homan believes that the Trump administration will require at least 100,000 detention beds for illegal immigrants to execute its deportation strategy.
President-elect Donald Trump has pledged mass deportations, and he has selected Homan, the former acting head of ICE, to oversee the operation.
Currently, ICE is detaining around 38,700 illegal immigrants, with an additional nearly 185,000 being monitored through electronic devices at a daily cost of $232,800, according to ICE data.
Speaking to CNN on Dec. 18, Homan stated that the operation will involve constructing new detention facilities and recruiting more ICE agents.
“It all depends on the funding I get from the Hill,” Homan mentioned, referring to Congress.
Both chambers of Congress will be under Republican control starting in January 2025. Republicans currently hold the House of Representatives, but not the Senate.
Homan also revealed plans to seek assistance from the military.
“They’re not going to be out arresting people, but they can be a force multiplier in doing things we need to do that doesn’t require a badge and a gun,” he explained.
The initial phase of arrests will target illegal immigrants with criminal records and those identified as national security risks. In cases where sanctuary cities refuse to cooperate with ICE, agents will conduct neighborhood operations to locate individuals, resulting in collateral arrests, Homan stated.
Homan emphasized that “immigration officers aren’t going to be told to walk away from somebody here illegally.” He also mentioned that illegal immigrants with US-born children, who therefore have citizenship, will not be exempt from enforcement actions.
“They put themselves in this position. We didn’t,” he remarked.
He suggested that the children could reside with the other parent or a relative.
Some lawmakers and organizations have commended Trump’s deportation plans.
“Deportations are a critical step in delivering on that promise, restoring the rule of law, and protecting American communities across the country,” the Federation for American Immigration Reform stated in a recent article.
On the other hand, some argue that deportations will have negative consequences.
“Trump’s plans for mass deportation will tear families apart, raid homes, and harm our communities,” Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) expressed on Wednesday on the social media platform X.
“We need to resist his hateful agenda and fight back to protect our immigrant neighbors because immigrants make our communities stronger.”
In the previous Trump administration, approximately 1.2 million deportations were carried out over four years. During President Joe Biden’s initial two years in office, deportations decreased to about 65,000 annually, but rose to 253,488 in fiscal year 2024, which concluded in September.
Loading…