Former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Tom Homan, has strongly refuted claims made by Florida Democratic Senate nominee Angie Nixon regarding alleged racial profiling by ICE agents. Homan dismissed Nixon's assertion that the agency targets Black Americans as "ridiculous," emphasizing that immigration enforcement operations are not based on an individual's skin color.
Homan Rejects Racial Profiling Allegations
"We don't arrest people based on the color of their skin," Homan stated during an appearance on "Saturday in America." He further elaborated, "I'm actually an equal opportunity deporter. I deported people to 180 countries last year." Homan underscored that nationality or origin does not influence enforcement, adding, "I don't care if you're from Asia, you're from Europe or you’re from other countries. If you're in the country illegally, you will be deported, regardless of the color of your skin."
Homan reiterated his defense of the federal immigration agency, emphasizing that its agents operate strictly within legal parameters during enforcement actions. He remarked, "That's a ridiculous statement." He clarified the agency's protocols: "We don't racially profile. Everybody we talk to, we have reasonable suspicion of aliens to talk to them and to arrest them we need probable cause. That's what the law says. And that's what we do."
Nixon's Stance on Immigration Enforcement
Nixon, a recent victor in Florida’s Democratic primary election, has outlined several key policy objectives, including the dismantling of immigration detention centers and the complete abolition of ICE. Her campaign platform characterizes mass incarceration and mass deportation as "moral failures." On her campaign website, she contends that ICE "cannot be trusted with the power it has" and advocates for the discontinuation of what she describes as the agency’s "terror tactics."
Responding to Nixon's characterizations, Homan asserted, "It's just lie, after lie, after lie, to try to vilify the men and women of ICE."
On a recent episode of the "QNA: Questions Need Answers" podcast, Nixon expanded on her criticisms, alleging that Republicans are "literally trying to kill us." She specifically targeted ICE, stating, "Like, actually state-sanctioned violence. They’ve been doing it in the Black community. And they’re doing it even more so now with ICE. ICE is now a weaponized paramilitary force that is designed to terrorize us."
Impact of Sanctuary Policies on Enforcement
The former border official attributed certain violent incidents during enforcement operations to so-called "sanctuary policies." He cited the case of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, who was fatally shot in Houston in July during an attempted arrest by agents. Homan contended that these policies escalate the dangers associated with immigration enforcement by preventing agents from apprehending undocumented individuals already in custody, thereby necessitating arrests in public communities.
"What sanctuary cities do is not only... give sanctuaries to criminals, it makes the community less safe because they're releasing public safety threats back into the public," he asserted. He further warned, "It puts our officers at greater risk. It puts the alien at greater risk because anything can happen during a street arrest."
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has also previously affirmed that enforcement actions are determined by an individual's immigration status, rather than their race or ethnicity.