Tom Homan: the ‘border tsar’ in charge of de-escalating tensions in Minnesotapublished at 13:56 GMT
13:56 GMT
Image source, Reuters
‘Border tsar’ Tom Homan’s arrival in Minneapolis comes as the White House seeks to de-escalate tensions in Minnesota.
Through the years, the 64-year-old has climbed through the ranks of US immigration enforcement – and has worked with both Democratic and Republican administrations.
In 2013, he was appointed to a little-known but influential post under Barack Obama where he headed the Enforcement and Removals Operations arm of ICE.
He was called out of plans to retire twice, in 2017 just days before Trump’s first administration began, and again after Trump’s re-election in 2024.
Homan has been a vocal defender of Trump’s deportation goals, vowing to target the “worst of the worst” and has been a staunch defender of his highly contentious family separation policy – which led to children being separated from their parents who were in the country illegally.
Last year, the White House swiftly came to Homan’s defence after reports emerged that he had been accused in a bribery case of accepting $50,000 (£36,300) from undercover agents.
The case was ultimately dropped by the justice department when Trump returned to office, with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt describing that case as an effort to “entrap” a key Trump ally.