In a revealing exchange on ABC’s This Week, former Acting ICE Director and current Border Czar Tom Homan pushed back against recent optimism surrounding illegal border crossings, emphasizing that while numbers may be down, the work is far from over.
ABC anchor Jonathan Karl highlighted the latest data showing a sharp decline in illegal crossings, stating, “The numbers are WAY down. I mean, they are dramatically down.” But Homan was quick to inject a dose of realism.
“They’re down, yes,” Homan acknowledged. “Illegal entry is down 96 percent. But what’s most impressive is the drop in known gotaway.”
Under the Biden administration, Homan said, the U.S. saw an average of 1,800 known gotaways per day—individuals who crossed the border without being apprehended, processed, or vetted. “That’s a huge national security issue,” he warned. “Now we’re down to double digits, but we won’t be satisfied until it’s zero.”
Homan, a staunch advocate for strict border enforcement, painted a broader picture of the current situation, noting that as land border security tightens, smuggling operations are pivoting to maritime routes.
“We’ve got the Coast Guard, CBP Maritime Patrol, and even the Navy involved,” he said. “It’s not just about illegal migration—it’s about stopping people who want to do us harm.”
He pointed to 2.2 million gotaways during the Biden administration, raising concerns that such individuals may include threats to national security.
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“Why would someone pay more to sneak in, when they could just turn themselves in and get processed, get released in 24 hours, flown to a city of their choice, put in a hotel, given meals, medical care, and a work permit in 90 days?” he asked. “Because they didn’t want to be fingerprinted and vetted.”
Homan reiterated that the current administration under President Biden has made progress, but he stressed that total operational control—both on land and sea—is the only acceptable endpoint.
“We’re going to secure the border,” Homan declared. “We’ll use every asset we have until public safety and national security threats have no avenue into this country.”
While the numbers may be trending in a positive direction, Homan’s message was clear: complacency is not an option. For him, a truly secure border means not just managing crossings, but eliminating unknowns.
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