President-elect Trump’s new border czar is giving more clarity on exactly how the military will be used to aid in the mass deportations of illegal immigrants that the incoming administration has promised.
Tom Homan, who served as the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during Trump’s first term, debunked frenzied speculation from some liberals that the military could be deployed to arrest people on US streets — saying that service members would be used for “non-enforcement” duties.
“They certainly can handle transportation, whether that’s ground transportation or air transportation… and certainly help building infrastructure,” he told The Post.
He called the military’s role “administrative” — intended to put ICE agents back in the field after up to 70% of personnel were assigned to other duties like helping to process incoming migrants.
“The more non-enforcement work [the Department of Defense] can do, releases more enforcement officers on the street to look for the bad guys,” Homan said.
Trump confirmed Monday that he will declare a “national emergency” and use “military assets” to deport illegal migrants once he returns to the White House.
The president-elect made his plans clear on Truth Social, where he responded “TRUE!!!” to a post from Judicial Watch chief Tom Fitton revealing his hopes for such a plan.
“GOOD NEWS: Reports are the incoming @RealDonaldTrump administration prepared to declare a national emergency and will use military assets to reverse the Biden invasion through a mass deportation program,” Fitton wrote on the social media platform.
Thousands of ICE officers and agents have been assigned to processing the millions of illegal migrants who crossed the border in recent years at their offices across the country rather than taking to the streets to make arrests, The Post recently reported.
ICE sources said that an estimated 60-70% of their officers are currently stuck behind desks and some of them have never made arrests on the streets for the agency.
The sources said rank-and-file personnel are ready to be “catching criminals that Biden let roam freely in the country for the last four years without any consequences.”
One source said he “can’t wait” to be out making arrests on the streets again.
Active-duty troops are barred from carrying out domestic law enforcement duties under the 1878 Posse Comitatus Act, but the military has still historically been able to assist law enforcement agencies in other ways.
“When I worked with the National Guard, we would do things with the FBI, ATF or DEA. We would be doing a large bust and we would provide overwatch from helicopters, we would provide drone support, we would do all of those things,” Davis Younts, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel and military defense attorney, told The Post.
One major hinderance to ICE’s ability to make arrests will be with sanctuary cities that prevent local law enforcement officers from communicating with the feds on the basis of immigration status.
Homan says that will not stop ICE from making arrests, but warned sanctuary leaders that it could mean more illegal immigrants will be arrested as an unintended result.
“I just can’t believe any mayor or governor who’s out they’re saying they’re gonna roadblock us would not want public safety threats out of their communities,” said Homan.
“They don’t want to help us in the jail then we’ll go to into the community and arrest them. And what happens in the community when we find the bad guy, the chances are he’s with others, so others are going to be arrested that weren’t even on the radar, but you know what, sanctuary city policies forced us in that position,” he added.
He also warned sanctuary leaders during a recent appearance on “Fox & Friends” against “harboring illegal aliens,” which is a felony.
“Don’t cross that line,” said Homan.