Trump Administration Border Czar Tom Homan lit into Morning Joe host Mika Brzezinski on Tuesday after she tried to paint ICE’s Massachusetts raids as fear-mongering.
ICE confirmed this week that federal agents are conducting a targeted enforcement operation in Boston aimed at deporting the “worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens.” But Brzezinski pressed Homan for proof, suggesting ICE was intimidating “harmless people.”
Homan didn’t hesitate.
“Right now, I see on the show this morning, you had [Democratic Massachusetts] Governor [Maura] Healey on the show talking about ICE doing enforcement operations at a church. False. Didn’t happen,” Homan fired back. “But to say that and to push that out there puts fear in the immigrant community.”
Brzezinski accused ICE of scaring immigrants by parking near a church. Homan shot back with cold, hard facts.
“Let me tell you in the last couple of days [about] what’s happened in Boston,” Homan said. “They’ve arrested Victor Gomez Perez, a 33-year-old criminal alien from Guatemala with charges of aggravated rape, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, indecent assault and battery on a victim 14 years or younger.”
He went on to list more cases: a Colombian national charged with “aggravated assault on a pregnant victim,” and a 23-year-old from the Dominican Republic nabbed for drug trafficking, resisting police, disorderly conduct and drug distribution. Another illegal immigrant had committed assault and battery on a child.
“This past year, I’ve seen innocent Americans raped and murdered by people who are not supposed to be here,” Homan said. “So rather than going back and forth and saying, ‘well, ICE has got a car parked near a church,’ that is ridiculous. They’re out there looking for people like this.”
Brzezinski doubled down, demanding broader data. Homan bristled at her suggestion that ICE was “disappearing people.”
“I have always spoken with integrity on this program,” he said. “U.S. citizens get arrested by police everyday. Are they being disappeared? No, the laws are being enforced, they’re being arrested, they’re being put in detention because they committed a criminal offense.”
“Not like what you’re doing,” Brzezinski cut in.
“No, we’re enforcing the law and arresting people here who are in violation of the law and are public safety threats,” Homan shot back. “That’s not disappearing people. That’s enforcing the laws of this country to make this country safer.”
According to DHS, as of July 20 President Donald Trump’s administration has arrested more than 300,000 illegal immigrants since his second term began on Jan. 20. Nearly 70% were criminals charged with or convicted of serious crimes.
Watch the fiery exchange above.
