President-elect Donald Trump's border czar, former Immigration and Customs Enforcement chief Tom Homan, doubled down once again on his threats to arrest Democratic lawmakers who interfere with mass deportation activity on the right-wing Benny Johnson Show on Monday.
"It's a felony. A felony we will prosecute," Homan told Johnson. "I'm not going to be bullied. I'm not going away. I'm not going to be silenced. We are coming. You're not going to stop us."
Homan, who will advise Trump on border security policy, has repeatedly made similar threats against so-called "sanctuary states" and "sanctuary cities." These are broadly defined as a set of policies that discourage or prohibit local law enforcement from directly assisting federal agents in identifying or removing unauthorized immigrants. This is legal under federal law and precedent, but if such jurisdictions actively hid immigrants they knew were here illegally, or obstructed federal agents from removing them, that would cross the line into a criminal act, as Homan noted.
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The point of controversy, however, is that immediately before the election, Homan suggested that the Trump administration could deport entire families, even if their children were U.S. citizens. He subsequently tried to downplay any fears that this would happen, insisting the Trump administration would prioritize immigrants who committed serious crimes.
In particular, the mayor of Denver, Colorado, Mike Johnston, stated that any federal officers who try to conduct mass deportations there will face "civil disobedience" from citizens and politicians alike, although he later walked back any implication he would commit crimes in the process.
Homan's threats toward Johnston have triggered outrage among some Democratic lawmakers, although New York City Mayor Eric Adams has vowed to work with Homan regardless.
Watch the video below or at the link here.
