One of the Trump appointees receiving the most attention is Tom Homan, who will serve as “border czar” for the incoming administration. Clips of Homan responding to questions about the mass deportation of those living in the country illegally have gone viral on social media. Still, those who don’t follow politics likely don’t know much about him past that. For those wondering who Tom Homan is and what his history, political positions, family life, and accomplishments are, you can learn more about him below.
Who is Tom Homan, Trump’s Border Czar?
Donald Trump announced on Sunday evening that Tom Homan, his former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), would be taking the role of Border Czar in his administration. According to CNN, Trump stated on Truth Social:
“I am pleased to announce that the Former ICE Director, and stalwart on Border Control, Tom Homan, will be joining the Trump Administration, in charge of our Nation’s Borders (“The Border Czar”), including, but not limited to, the Southern Border, the Northern Border, all Maritime, and Aviation Security.”
Tom Homan Family
Tom Homan, 62, was born on November 28, 1961, in West Carthage, New York. In 2019, he testified before the House Oversight Committee that he has a child, but that’s all the information we have on his family. Details on Homan’s family from reputable sources are non-existent. We know nothing of his childhood, marital status, or the number of children he has.
Tom Homan Education
Homan obtained an associate’s degree in criminal justice from Jefferson Community College in Watertown, New York, and a bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York Polytechnic Institute.
Tom Homan Military Service
There’s no information about whether Tom Homan served in the military or not. He hasn’t referenced any prior military service, so it’s doubtful he was in the armed forces.
Tom Homan Work History
After graduating from SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Homan became a police officer in West Carthage, New York. In 1984, he joined the predecessor of ICE, the Immigration and Naturalization Service. He began his career as an INS border patrol agent and was eventually promoted to investigator and supervisor.
In 2013, President Obama appointed Homan as ICE’s executive associate director of enforcement and removal operations. While in that position in 2015, he was given a Presidential Rank Award for his service.
President Trump promoted Homan to acting director of ICE in 2017. He held the position until he retired in June 2018.
Since 2018, Homan has remained critical of the nation’s immigration policies. He’s testified in front of Congress about the topic and helped shape immigration policy in the Heritage Foundation’s controversial Project 2025.
Tom Homan Politics
As acting director of ICE, Homan advocated for mass deportations of illegal immigrants. He stated that politicians who support sanctuary cities (cities that don’t cooperate with the federal government in enforcing immigration law) should be charged with crimes. He was the driving force behind the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policies that advocated separating children from their parents as a deterrent to illegal immigration.
Homan has stated that his motivation for strong border protection and deterring illegal immigration is the inhumane treatment migrants are subjected to during their journey. In testimony to Congress, he recounted an incident where he opened a tractor-trailer to discover 19 immigrants who had died of suffocation. He believes that making it harder to cross the border and stay in the country illegally would deter people from attempting the journey and make exploiting them less profitable.
After Trump announced he would be the next border czar, Homan pledged to continue the policies he pursued when he was director of ICE. However, it’s still unknown what specific position he’ll hold.
