In an interview with FOX News host Sean Hannity, border czar Tom Homan pushed back against claims that President Donald Trump has sent him to Minneapolis as part of a pullback of the administration’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota. “I’ve overseen more deportations than any other man since the Eisenhower administration,” Homan told Hannity. “So, if anybody thinks that Tom Homan and President Trump isn’t serious about immigration enforcement and having a mass deportation, then they weren’t paying attention to the press conference. Prioritization is smart law enforcement. But if you’re in the country legally, you’re not off the table and we’ll find you, too, and deport you, too.”

SEAN HANNITY: And following the fatal officer involved shooting of Alex Pretti last Saturday, President Trump sent the borders Tom Homan to Minneapolis to help oversee the administration’s operation in the city. Now, his arrival, subsequent dialogue with the Minneapolis mayor, Jacob small fry and Tim Walz and also Keith Ellison signaled, he says, some progress between local officials and the administration, with Homan posting on X following the meetings, saying in part, quote, “Today, I met with Governor Walz, Mayor Frey, and top law enforcement officials to discuss the issues on the ground in Minnesota. We all agreed we need to support our law enforcement officers and get criminals off the streets. While we don’t agree on everything, these meetings were a productive starting point.” Walz even offered some — well, for him — mild praise for Homan. At least they didn’t call him gestapo or Nazi. Take a look. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) INTERVIEWER: First of all, the meeting with Tom Homan, how did that go? What are your thoughts on that? GOV. TIM WALZ (D), MINNESOTA: Well, Tom Homan’s a professional and Tom Homan landed last night and he called me last night and asked if he could have a meeting and he was there at 9:00. So, look, I think it’s — that’s progress. (END VIDEO CLIP) HANNITY: But while mayor small fry also said his meeting with Homan was productive, he later followed that up with another post saying in part, quote, “I also made it clear that Minneapolis does not and will not enforce federal immigration law.” Meanwhile, earlier today, Homan posted on X touting the work of ICE, the FBI, the office of refugee settlement in locating 145,000 of the more than 300,000 unaccompanied children that the Biden administration turned over to unvetted sponsors and then lost complete track of — of course following through on one of President Trump’s major promises. Here for his first interview since being sent to Minneapolis, Border Czar Tom Homan. It was interesting your comment. The president sent you there with a mission. He said, “Please, I don’t want anybody to die. Anybody.” Very clear. TOM HOMAN, BORDER CZAR: Well, absolutely. The president wants to deescalate the situation and to set the record straight because I — because my staff said they’ve seen a lot of, you know, people that say President Trump’s backing off and has promised a mass deportation. That’s just untrue. My message up there was the same message that’s been since January 20th when President Trump took the Oval Office. We’re going to have a mass deportation, but we’re going to prioritize the arrest of criminals and public safety threats. I said from day one, if you’re — if you’re in the country legally, you’re not off the table. I looked at the numbers just about 50 minutes ago, Sean. President Trump’s been in office just over a year. We got over 700,000 deportations between Border Patrol and ICE. That’s a record. You know, I’ve been in D.C. about 15, 16 years. You know, I’ve overseen more deportations than any other man since the Eisenhower administration. So, if anybody thinks that Tom Homan and President Trump isn’t serious about immigration enforcement and having a mass deportation, then they weren’t paying attention to the press conference. Prioritization is smart law enforcement. But if you’re in the country legally, you’re not off the table and we’ll find you, too, and deport you, too. HANNITY: All right. I’m going to scroll all of the criminals that ICE has been able to find inside of Minneapolis. But while I’m asking about that, you did start in 1984. By the way, President Barack Obama said all illegals had to be sent out of the country and he — you are actually working. He awarded you in 2015. He gave you the Presidential Rank Award for Distinguished Service, one of the highest honors for a U.S. federal civil servant. What has changed with the Democrats from where they were when Obama was doing the exact same thing that President Trump is doing? If anything, President Trump is focusing more on criminals. (CROSSTALK) HOMAN: They hate President Trump. They hate President Trump, and they don’t want to see President Trump get a win. But President Trump is winning for this country every day. As you just said, 70 percent of everybody we’re arresting are criminals. But, you know, and the numbers show it. Sean, we have the most secure border in the history of this country because of work of President Trump and the men and women of the Border Patrol. But you know what also gave us the most secure border in this country? What ICE is doing right now. We’ve sent a message to the whole world. It’s not okay to enter this country illegally. It’s not okay to come in this country, take advantage of us. We’re going to enforce the laws and because what they — what the whole world is seeing right now, there are consequences for violating our laws and enter the country illegally, which is a crime. There are consequences for ignoring a judge’s order when you’re order deported, and you don’t leave. A lot of the people arrested right now are fugitives. They’ve had the due process. They got a find order and we’re looking for them, too. President Trump is keeping his promise to the American people of a mass deportation, but he’s also keeping his promise on making his country safe again. And that means we prioritize the public safety threats. But again, no one’s off the table. If you’re in this country in violation of law, we will deport you when we find you. It’s that plain and simple. And for people that want to misinterpret what President Trump sending in Minneapolis means, then you’re not paying attention. President Trump is going to Minneapolis to save lives, to save lives of officers, to save lives of the community and do smart law enforcement operations. HANNITY: Eight thousand percent increase of threats against ICE officials, 1,300 percent increase in assaults against ICE agents, 3,200 percent increase in vehicular attacks against them. I want to play what you said not — actually more than once on this show. You predicted that if the rhetoric, gestapo, nazi, et cetera continues, this is what you said would — would happen. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) HOMAN: I said in March, Sean, back in March, I said, if this hateful rhetoric doesn’t stop, there’s going to be bloodshed. Someone’s going to die. I’ve seen this movie before. I’ve been doing this for 41 years. I — it’s never been this bad. And of course, the left said I was crazy, but there’s already been three shootings just in Texas. (END VIDEO CLIP) HANNITY: I don’t — I don’t believe and I don’t think we — I see any indication. You met with Walz, you met with Frey, you met with Ellison, and Frey after you met with him said, “I also made it clear Minneapolis does not and will not enforce federal immigration law.” Okay. What does that mean? How do you interpret that? And is he violating the law by not assisting or not turning over illegal criminals that are in their justice system? HOMAN: Well, here’s what we have, Sean. Meeting with the governor and A.G. and Mayor Frey, here’s what we came out with — the state prison system will honor our detainers. So, we will continue to take those people in the custody of the safety — in the safety and security of facility and not have to go on the street and look for them. The A.G. said that sheriffs can honor our detainers and I’m meeting with sheriffs across the state to give us prior notification — excuse me, he didn’t say they would honor our detainers. Said they can notify us before they release them and so give us time to get there and take them into custody and safety and security facility. And we’re working on that. And the whole purpose of me going up there was for this reason: the more agents we have in the jails to arrest these people in the — in the — in the — in the safety and security of a jail, it’s safer for the officer, safer for the alien, safer for the community. So, one agent can arrest a bad guy in a jail rather than sending a whole team to the community. And with all the hate and rhetoric and attacks, then we got to send another team for security. So, what one agent can do in a jail, we got to send 15 or 16 guys to do. So, if we get that cooperation, which we’re working on, we got some commitments here — that means we can draw down on the number of agents there because we’re in the jails. And that’s what President Trump wants. He wants safe enforcement. He wants public safety threats taken out of this country. And the safest way to do that is in the safety and security of a law enforcement facility with their cooperation. And that’s what we’re working on. HANNITY: And you made it very clear. You’re not leaving until the job’s done. HOMAN: Exactly right. HANNITY: Oh, I think that when Tom Homan says that, I think I would tend to believe you. Honestly, I’m praying for the safety and security of the people that are on the ground going after some very dangerous criminals, and I don’t want anyone to get hurt, anyone to die, and I wish the rhetoric would stop and be toned down. Did they promise you in any way they’d calm down that rhetoric? HOMAN: No, I — look, the protesters is up to them, right? They, you know, I’m hoping — (CROSSTALK) HANNITY: I’m talking about the politicians. HOMAN: — you know, once we get them to cooperate — oh, no. You just don’t — you know, politicians are cause of a lot of rhetoric. When they hear a senator, rep — or a congressman call us — call us Nazis and racist, that just empowers and emboldens that that small percentage that are already nuts and they’re going to take action against an ICE officer. HANNITY: Well — HOMAN: And I just — like — I said it during my speech. I don’t want to see anybody die, and neither is President Trump. So, please, let’s continue this discussion. Let’s continue working with us in the jails and the prisons so we can protect the communities of Minneapolis and make this country safe again. HANNITY: All right. Tom Homan, godspeed and much success and safety for the people of Minneapolis, for law enforcement in Minneapolis, for the guys you’re working with and that we have a more safe and secure state and city and country. Thank you.

RealClearPolitics Videos