Tom Homan, President Donald Trump’s “border czar,” held a press conference on Wednesday and claimed that the federal immigration operation in Minnesota that killed civilians and terrorized the state had been a success.
The strange characterization of the last few weeks of chaos occurred after Homan was asked by a reporter if he thought the activities by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Border Patrol, and other agencies in Minnesota had been a success.
“Yeah. I just listed a bunch of people we took off the streets of the Twin Cities. I think it was very effective as far as public safety goes,” Homan said. “Was it a perfect operation? No.”
Renee Good and Alex Pretti were killed by federal agents. Young children like Liam Conejo Ramos were abducted and held hostage. Families across the state have been forced to hide in the shadows out of fear of being intimidated, brutalized, and disappeared.
Most would probably disagree that the state of affairs in Minnesota is a “success.”
Homan also sought to characterize plans to remove 700 federal officials from Minnesota as a “draw down”—a claim that was quickly parroted by mainstream media outlets like NBC News. But in the same press event Homan made clear that thousands of federal officers will remain in Minnesota and that the Trump administration intends to keep them there until state and local authorities march in lockstep with racist anti-immigrant policy.
Related | Trump's border czar flexes his thuggery in Minnesota
Homan’s statement affirmed fears that the administration’s posture toward Minnesota hasn’t changed. Disgraced Border Patrol leader Gregory Bovino was effectively put out to pasture but Homan is doubling down on the Trump administration’s brutal approach.
The reality is Homan was handpicked by Trump for a leadership position because he has expressed the point of view that all undocumented immigrants are criminals, and is personally willing to profit off of fear of immigration with alleged bribes.
Mainstream outlets went along with the Trump administration’s campaign to avoid public outrage and promoted the idea that there had been a change in “tone” after the shootings. But Homan’s words and actions make it clear—the tone remains the same, and is just as much of a threat to the public.
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