Tom Homan, the “Border Czar,” and the Case of Kilmár Abrego Garcia

Explore who Tom Homan is and why he earned the nickname “Border Czar,” and his perspective on the deportation case of Kilmár Abrego Garcia

Source: NPR

Introduction

In the past weeks, social media—especially X (formerly Twitter)—has been ablaze with debates over the actions and statements of the so-called “Border Czar,” Tom Homan.

The fiercest arguments center on the deportation of Kilmár Abrego Garcia and announced ramp-ups of immigration-enforcement operations. [X former Twitter link]

Journalists and analysts have also criticized Homan’s apparent bypassing of court orders, while conservative politicians and his supporters praise him as a key figure in President Trump’s immigration-deportation strategy. [X former Twitter link]

Who Is Tom Homan?

Thomas Douglas Homan (born November 28, 1961, in West Carthage, New York) began his career in 1984 as a Border Patrol agent within the former Immigration and Naturalization Service.

In 2013, he was appointed Executive Associate Director for Enforcement and Removal Operations at ICE; from January to November 2017, he served as Acting Director of ICE, and then as Deputy Director until June 2018.

In November 2024, during President Trump’s second term, Homan was named the so-called “Border Czar,” tasked with centralizing and coordinating U.S. border-security and deportation policy.

To clarify what it means to bear the title “Czar,” Wikipedia explains:

“The commonly accepted view is that czars hold the highest monarchical honor and rank, with power and influence that surpass those of kings. The title was most widely used in medieval Europe, where a czar was considered equal in dignity and authority to the pope—then the visible head of the Church and spiritual leader of Western Europe’s Catholics. The only reigning czar today is the Emperor of Japan.”

Homan earned the nickname “Border Czar” when President Trump placed him directly in the White House as coordinator of all immigration and border policies and made him responsible for every deportation of illegal entrants, without Senate confirmation—underscoring the extraordinary scope of presidential discretion in this role (Axios).

This position grants the “Border Czar” broad authority over land borders, maritime and air security, and deportations, consolidating leadership of multiple agencies’ resources under a single individual (NPR; Government Executive).

Key Responsibilities of Tom Homan

According to the NPR, Homan will report directly to the President, coordinating the work of DHS, ICE, and other relevant agencies.

Homan also announced that targeted pressure will be applied to employers who use illegal labor, and he expressed readiness to reinstate the practice of family separation to deter new illegal entries.

The Case of Kilmár Abrego Garcia

Kilmár Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran citizen residing in Maryland, was removed from the United States and deported to El Salvador in March 2025 on suspicion of MS-13 membership. MS-13—also known as Mara Salvatrucha—is one of the world’s most violent and widespread transnational criminal organizations, founded in the impoverished immigrant neighborhoods of Los Angeles in the 1980s as protection for Salvadoran newcomers.

Although U.S. courts found Abrego Garcia’s deportation to be unlawful—and the Supreme Court ordered the Trump administration to allow his return—those orders were ignored by the administration (AP News; Reuters).

His wife, Jennifer Vasquez, told ABC News that her husband had never been charged or convicted of any crime in the United States, emphasizing that “he has never been convicted of anything.”

Tom Homan’s Position

Homan not only refused to comply with the court’s decision but, in an interview with ABC News, asserted:

“We removed a public-safety threat, a national-security threat—a violent gang member—from the United States,”dismissing agency responsibility for Abrego Garcia by stating that “he belongs to El Salvador; that is his home."

Later in the same program for ABC News, he doubled down, saying the administration “did the right thing,” invoking authority under the Alien Enemies Act and insisting, “we respect the Constitution and the law.”

Public Reaction and Political Fallout

Although on X, most users have condemned Homan’s actions and statements—mocking and opposing them in fierce online debates, he retains a vocal base of supporters who laud him as a cornerstone of Trump’s immigration agenda. (Link)

Source: X

This is one of the positive comments on Tom Homan's actions:

Source: X

Not only Abrego Garcia and his case, but "the move by Senator Chris Van Hollen, who recently traveled to El Salvador to meet with Abrego Garcia, was loudly criticized by "Border Czar" and other Republicans, including President Trump. Tom Homan stated that it was 'disgusting' that Senator Chris Van Hollen wanted to visit Kilmar Abrego Garcia.

He said that what bothered him the most was that an American senator traveled to El Salvador using taxpayers' money to meet with an MS-13 gang member, a public safety threat and a terrorist—although he provided absolutely no evidence that the senator actually used taxpayers' money for that trip.

When ABC News reached out to the senator's office regarding the alleged accusations about the trip’s funding, they received a response stating that the senator traveled commercially to follow up on a constituent’s case and to oversee U.S. foreign aid programs."

"If we look at it realistically and objectively, it seems that most people on social media do not support his actions and statements—instead, they openly oppose them, condemn them, and even mock them, as we can see here:

Source: X

But it appears that Tom Homan is not bothered by this at all, because based on his statements, there is no sign of an end to the new deportations and crackdowns on immigrants.

On the contrary, he intends to increase the pressure and introduce new measures, so we can soon expect even more cases similar to that of Abrego Garcia."

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