Homan defends immigration raids at middle, elementary schools

Tom Homan, President Trump’s border czar, defended the administration's plans to send Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) into schools.

Homan joined ABC’s “This Week,” where he was asked about the logistics behind the Trump administration’s mass deportation plans.

Host Martha Raddatz pointed out that the administration said it will “no longer tell ICE agents they have to avoid sensitive locations, including schools, hospitals, churches.”

“What criminals are hiding in schools? Middle schools, elementary schools — you gonna to go into those?” Raddatz asked.

Trump has formally authorized ICE to begin arresting people in schools and churches, rescinding a guideline that prevented arrests in “sensitive” areas. They have begun making arrests in various communities.

Homan defended the practice to Raddatz and said the arrests are being made with planning.

“How many MS-13 members are the age 14 to 17? Many of them,” Homan said.

“So look, if it’s a national security threat, public safety threat and what, what you need to understand is that it’s case by case, name another agency, another law enforcement agency, that has those type of requirements, that they can’t walk into a school or doctor’s office or a medical campus. No other agency is held to those standards. These are well-trained officers with a lot of discretion, and when it comes to a sensitive location, there’s still gonna be supervisory review.”

During the interview, Homan noted how expensive the deportation plans will be. He called on Congress to pass funding for the administration’s mission.

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