When Tom Homan, the newly appointed “border czar” under President-elect Donald Trump, addressed claims that were made earlier that day on The View regarding the incoming administration’s plans to deport large numbers of people, he caused a stir during a broadcast of Hannity on Monday, November 11. As part of a more comprehensive immigration approach, the co-hosts of The View had expressed concern, implying that the Trump administration would even go so far as to deport citizens of the United States. On the other hand, Homan was quick to refute these allegations, arguing that the claims were not only without foundation but also completely hampered by a lack of knowledge.
Ana Navarro, who is known for her outspoken political opinion, talked against Trump’s border policies in a portion of The View, which is when the issue started. Her particular point of contention was with Trump’s assertion that families may be deported together. This meant that if a parent was undocumented but had children or a spouse who was a citizen of the United States, the entire family could be subject to deportation in an effort to maintain the family unit. “You realize, I mean, it’s chilling what he just said,” Navarro expressed in a resolute manner in reaction. You are aware that when he says, “Yes, families can be deported together,” what he is actually saying is that it is possible for citizens of the United States to take their own lives.
Should they be recognized to be a part of the family unit, Navarro’s reasoning was predicated on the notion that the deportation of a parent who did not have legal status could lead to the forcible removal of children or spouses who were citizens of the United States. She asserted that this posed a perilous situation for people living in the United States. Her worries were mirrored by the co-hosts of The View, who expressed their fear about the possibility that, as a result of Trump’s immigration policies, American citizens could be subjected to mass deportations.
These assertions, on the other hand, were fiercely rejected by Tom Homan, who had been nominated by President-elect Trump to manage the administration’s attempts to enforce immigration laws. Homan responded to the allegations by making an appearance on Hannity that evening. He explained that the rhetoric that was presented by the co-hosts of The View was just not factual. It was his contention that the Trump administration would prioritize the expulsion of undocumented immigrants who had committed crimes, particularly those who were involved in illegal activities, and that the focus of the government would be on protecting the southern border. In response to the notion that citizens of the United States will be singled out for deportation, Homan voiced his disagreement.
According to Homan, “I don’t know what they’re talking about,” in reference to the assertions made by the co-hosts. According to the policies that we are proposing, the worst-case scenario that they are portraying is just not possible. Our primary objective is to ensure the safety of the border and to remove persons who are in the country unlawfully and have committed violations of the law. The next thing that Homan did was emphasize that although the Trump administration will endeavor to enforce immigration laws more aggressively, the plan did not include the deportation of residents of the United States.
Rather than randomly targeting citizens of the United States, Homan underlined that the program would specifically target individuals who were unlawfully present in the United States and had committed crimes. The purpose of the administration’s policy was to deal with undocumented immigrants who constituted a threat to public safety, and he further pointed out that families with children who were citizens of the United States would not be subject to mass deportations when the policies were implemented.
An ongoing discussion about the Trump administration’s attitude on immigration and how it would impact both undocumented immigrants and residents of the United States who live in mixed-status households was mirrored in the heated exchange that took place. Concerns had been voiced by many who were opposed to the government that the tough rhetoric and commitment to mass deportations that Trump had indicated would be detrimental to the American citizens who were living in these families, potentially causing households to fall apart. Homan was one of the proponents who argued that such fears were overstated and that the true focus would be on illegal immigrants who committed crimes rather than on citizens of the United States.”
Many people in the media questioned how the Trump administration would strike a balance between its tough position on immigration and the protection of American families in light of the incident, which garnered a significant amount of attention from it. Homan’s response on Hannity made it abundantly clear that the incoming administration would not be targeting U.S. citizens in its deportation efforts, despite the concerns that were raised earlier on The View. This was despite the fact that the debate over immigration reform continued to heat up, and the question of what would actually happen under Trump’s leadership remain unclear.