Trump announces Tom Homan as new border czar

WASHINGTON – President-elect Donald Trump announced late Sunday night that Tom Homan, the former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement who supported Trump's controversial “zero tolerance” policy, will be his administration's “border czar.”

“I am pleased to announce that former ICE Director and loyal border enforcement expert Tom Homan will be joining the Trump Administration responsible for our nation’s borders (“Border Czar”), including but not limited to the southern border , Northern border, all maritime and air security,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

“I have known Tom for a long time and there is no one who can monitor and control our borders better,” the post continues. “Similarly, Tom Homan will be responsible for all deportations of illegal aliens to their country of origin. Congratulations to Tom. I have no doubt that he will do a fantastic and long-awaited job.”

Homan holds tough views on immigration policy and has previously vowed to “lead the largest deportation force this country has ever seen.”

He was an early supporter of the Trump administration's “zero tolerance” policy, which led to the separation of thousands of families at the southern border. After public outcry, Trump finally signed an executive order in 2018 reversing the family separation policy.

In an interview with CBS' “60 Minutes” that aired in October, Homan was asked if there was a way to carry out mass deportations without separating families.

“Of course there is. Families can be deported together,” he replied.

Homan is a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative group. He was a contributor to Project 2025's book Mandate for Leadership. He is also president and CEO of Border911, a nonprofit group that warns about the alleged threat posed by undocumented immigrants.

NBC News has contacted Border911 and The Heritage Foundation seeking Homan's comment.

Trump often held harsh, anti-immigrant views during the campaign, at times calling migrants “poisoning the blood of our country,” “animals” and “gang members,” and comparing them to the fictional cannibal Hannibal Lecter.

“They are rough people, in many cases from jails, prisons, mental hospitals and mental asylums,” he said at a March rally of migrants entering the country illegally. “You know, insane asylums, that's 'Silence of the Lambs' stuff.”

Homan is the latest person Trump has announced will join his administration. Trump had previously announced that Susie Wiles, his co-campaign manager, would serve as White House chief of staff.