Tom Homan (01:56):
Good morning. I'm Tom Holman, the border czar for President Trump. I'm going to read a statement real quick, then after I read the statement, I'll take questions. I'm here with Sam Olson, director of ICE and enforcement removal operations for the St. Paul field office, Steven Schrank, acting special agent in charge for ICE Homeland Security Investigations, and Chris Kuhn, deputy chief patrol agent for the United States Border Patrol.
(02:25)
I'm very pleased to report that this surge operation and our work here with state and local officials to improve coordination and achieve mutual goals, as well as our efforts to address issues of concern here on the ground, have yielded the successful results we came here for. The Twin Cities and Minnesota in general are and will continue to be much safer for the communities here because of what we have accomplished under President Trump's leadership. I previously shared with you before I got here, before I even got here, I said I was going to meet with the Governor, the AG, and Mayor Frey, Mayor Her, and I've done all of that. I've also met with various police chiefs and sheriffs, and one thing we all had in common was the importance of ensuring and maintaining public safety. Overall, we made a lot of progress through extensive engagement, meeting with them and other key stakeholders, and it is expected that those engagements and discussions will continue going forward in order to enhance exchange of information and more coordination.
(03:36)
As a result of this surge operation, we have greatly reduced the number of targets for enforcement action, and many criminal aliens have been arrested and taken off the streets, including murders, sex offenders, national security threats, gang members, and other violent criminals. Just this week, ICE arrested a criminal alien with criminal convictions for rape, acts with a child under 14 years of age with force, lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14. ICE also arrested two criminal aliens with criminal sexual misconduct convictions, among other violent criminals. Through targeted enforcement operations based on reasonable suspicion and prioritizing safety and security, ICE will continue to identify, arrest and remove illegal aliens that pose a risk to public safety, like we've done for years. Our officers will carry out those duties with professionalism, integrity and compassion, like we've done for years. We will enforce immigration law against all persons in the United States illegally.
(04:44)
I want to say something about the various unfounded complaints I'm hearing about ICE enforcement operations. During the surge operation, ICE has not arrested anybody inside a hospital. We have not arrested anybody inside of a school, an elementary school. We have not arrested anybody inside a church. As a matter of fact, the only ones that disrespected the sanctuary of a church were the agitators that have been arrested and prosecuted, and so far, we have nine of them. However, those locations are not off the table. I said on day one, there's no sanctuary for a significant public safety threat or a national security threat. But as far as those stories about ICE going into churches, arresting people in hospitals, it simply has not happened, and if you have a case where it happened, do let me know, because all the digging I've done here, I can't find a single one.
(05:46)
Under President Trump's direction, we have obtained an unprecedented level of coordination with law enforcement officials that is focused on promoting public safety across the entire state. While I don't agree with Governor Walz and Attorney General Ellison on everything, I appreciate the support the Governor gives to state agencies, who coordinate with us in a manner intended to promote public safety, and I appreciate the AG having an open dialogue with me. Early on, the first meeting I had, acknowledging that county jails may notify ICE of the release date of an inmate, just as long as they don't hold them past the time they would normally release them. We now have the ability to arrest criminal aliens in the safety and security of jails throughout the state at the time they're being released, like we've done in other states.
(06:42)
I've also directed the strategic placement of officers in certain areas throughout the state that can respond quickly to sheriffs that want to release somebody and notify us we need to be nearby so they don't hold them unnecessarily, so we worked on a strategic plan to reassign officers in those key locations. Arresting a public safety threat in the safety and security of a jail is safer for the alien, is safer for the officer, and safer for the community. I think we all can agree on that. It requires less resources for at-large operations. It just makes sense.
(07:22)
I'll say it again, as I've said many times, we are not asking local law enforcement to act as immigration officers. I don't want them to be immigration officers. We're the immigration officers. We just want them to be cops. We're asking law enforcement to coordinate with other law enforcement to help keep public safety risk out of the communities. We have also strengthened our existing coordination with the state to target and take custody of criminal aliens more efficiently and effectively. As a result of our efforts here, Minnesota is now less of a sanctuary state for criminals, and we are proud of the public safety threats we have removed from the criminal aliens out of the state.
(08:05)
As I said in my first press conference a couple of weeks ago, President Trump didn't send me here because the operations were being run and conducted perfectly. I came here to identify issues and implement solutions to improve our mission execution. Since that time, in order to improve targeted enforcement operation, I and my team here, we made personnel changes. We integrated BP with the ICE teams. We established a single unified chain of command structure. We strengthened joint intelligence and targeting capabilities. We deployed body cameras. We increased the footprint of internal affairs. We [inaudible 00:08:39] zero tolerance for misconduct. President Trump also deployed me here to work with state and local officials to de-escalate the intense volatile reactions and conflicts that have unfolded on the streets here between federal law enforcement and unlawful agitators.
(08:56)
While working to course-correct and improve how enforcement operations are being run and executed here, and even before I was sent up here, I have been saying over and over that forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating or interfering with a federal law enforcement officer is a crime in violation of U.S.C. 111. It's not okay. It will not be tolerated. Zero tolerance if you cross that line and put hands on an ICE officer. Not only is such activity unlawful, it is dangerous, and sadly, we have seen tragic consequences, as well as adverse impacts on businesses and the communities here in the city.
(09:39)
While the Trump administration supports everyone's First Amendment right to freedom of speech and assembly and to petition, it has to be done lawfully and peacefully, because we will not tolerate unlawful actions committed by agitators who are just causing havoc. This is not the way to express your disagreement or try to reform federal laws. Go talk to your members of Congress if you want the laws changed in this country. Nor is doxing federal law enforcement personnel and their families, it's just not right. Enough is enough with this misguided, reckless and shameful behavior. We don't want to see any more bloodshed. I don't want to see any more bloodshed. I pray every night for the safety of our law enforcement personnel and the safety of those in the community, whether you're here legally or illegally, I don't want to see anybody harmed.
(10:35)
If you break the law, we're going to arrest you. We have already arrested more than 200 people for violations of U.S.C. 111. The US attorney's office has already accepted many for prosecutions, and some are still pending. I have also received commitments from state and local law enforcement that they will respond if federal law enforcement is being impeded or assaulted, they will shut down unlawful agitator activity, including arresting agitators involved, and we're seeing them follow through on those commitments. We've seen this past weekend that the state and local law enforcement have taken actions when it comes to public safety, and bless them for doing that. Since I have been here, I've repeatedly emphasized that the unlawful and violent agitator activity is unacceptable and must wind down as a condition for further drawdown of law enforcement personnel. I cannot remove law enforcement personnel while violence poses serious risk to our officers. I will not leave my officers in that position.
(11:42)
It is worth knowing that in all my meetings and discussions since I got here, I've not heard one federal, state, local law enforcement or judicial official, nor any member of the business or faith communities that I met with, say that ICE is an illegitimate agency that doesn't have a real mission. Quite the opposite. All I've heard is the acknowledgement that federal immigration laws passed by Congress do exist, and ICE has a legitimate responsibility to enforce those laws. ICE is a legitimate federal law enforcement agency. We're not out scouring the streets to disappear people or deny people their civil rights or due process. In addition to taking public safety threats off the street, ICE, here in this state, have located 3,364 missing unaccompanied alien children, children that the last administration lost and weren't even looking for. That's because of the leadership of President Trump, these children were located.
(12:44)
As part of the de-escalation efforts, I have called on state and local officials past few weeks to tone down the rhetoric can denounce unlawful activities being conducted by the agitators. We don't have to agree on everything, and we definitely do not, but we all agree that the lawlessness and chaos and disruption that is occurring on the street needs to end. I want to thank Governor Walz for his messages focusing on peace, and his support from the Minnesota State Troopers to respond to unlawful situations that put federal officers and the public at risk. I also want to thank Mayor Frey for taking a public stance against agitators setting up barricades that block streets and endanger public safety, and for directing the police to take those roadblocks down. Additionally, I want to thank Police Chief O'Hara, Sheriff Witt, and various other local law enforcement, for their responsiveness and efforts to maintain law and order in the streets.
(13:40)
We've seen a big change here in the last couple of weeks, and it's all good changes. I'm also pleased to report that we're seeing a notable decrease on unlawful agitator activity here in Minneapolis and overall throughout the state. This is great news for the Minnesota communities that have been adversely impacted by the lawlessness and chaos on the street. We have what we call here QRF, Quick Response Force security teams, that get called out when ICE officers are out doing operations, if they get into trouble, if agitators get out of control, if there's a danger and public safety's at risk, these QRFs respond to help these officers get off the X and get out of that situation.
(14:26)
I asked Dave when I got here, I want to know what the QRF callouts are, what their deployments are, I want to know every time a QRF is called out. The QRF deployments have dropped dramatically because we have less of that occurring, less of the agitators that cross that line. That is a good thing. That is a win for everybody, not just for the safety of law enforcement officers, it's a win for this community. With that, and success that has been made arresting public safety threats and other priorities since this surge operation began, as well as the unprecedented levels of coordination we have obtained from state officials and local law enforcement, I have proposed, and President Trump has concurred, that this surge operation conclude. A significant drawdown has already been underway this week, and will continue to the next week.
(15:24)
We have a lot of work to do across this country to remove public safety risk who shouldn't even be in this country, and to deliver on President Trump's promise for strong border security and mass deportation. Law enforcement officers drawing down from this surge operation will either return to their duty stations or be assigned elsewhere to achieve just that. We will continue to enforce Title VIII immigration law throughout this nation. Prioritizing national security threats and public safety risk makes sense. I'll continue to say over and over again, if you're here in the country illegally, you're not exempt from our immigration laws. If we encounter you, we'll take appropriate enforcement action.
(16:14)
For those that say we are backing down from immigration enforcement or the promise of mass deportations, you are simply wrong. Look at the data, record number of arrests and deportations under President Trump's first year, and we'll continue that effort. Prioritizing public safety threats and national security threats doesn't mean we forget about it, everybody else. We will take action on everybody else. That's just a stone-cold fact. A small footprint of personnel will remain for a period of time to close out and transition full command and control back to the field office, as well as to ensure agitator activity continues to decline, and that state and local law enforcement continue to respond to ensure officer and community safety. Additionally, federal government personnel assigned to conduct criminal investigation into the agitators, as well as the personnel assigned here for the fraud investigations, will remain in place until their work is done. I will also remain on the ground for a little longer to oversee the drawdown of this operation and ensure its success.
(17:25)
In closing, I want to thank the leadership and senior management that I've worked with for your efforts into these issues, determine efficiencies and challenges, present solutions, and implement improvements that will benefit how operations are run and executed nationwide. God bless the men and women, the vice men and women of the Border Patrol. Appreciate everything you've done for us. Also, with sincere gratitude, President Trump and I want to thank the men and women of ICE and CBP and partner agencies who have been assigned here during Operation Metro Surge. You achieved a great success for the Minnesota communities. Thank you to your families as well, because I know they sacrificed also.
(18:05)
Thank you, President Trump, for your vision, as well as your support and confidence in these brave, dedicated patriots that work hard to deliver on your strong commitment to law and order, public safety, prosperity for American communities. Today, we have the most secure border in American history. We are seeing record numbers of people being arrested and deported. Your promise to make America safe again is being played out every day on the streets of this country. I've said it many times, I've worked for six different presidents, 10 different administrations, no one has done it better than President Trump. God bless this great country. I'll take questions now.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
We'll take a couple of questions. No follow-ups. I'll start off with Frankie.
Frankie (18:52):
Yeah. Mr. Homan, as immigration enforcement continues across the country, here in Minnesota as well, how do you hope to gain the trust of individuals here that have been wary of seeing federal officers on the street, but let's say six months from now, we still have the office here, we still are enforcing immigration across the country, what do you hope things to look like and what are you asking for the public?
Tom Homan (19:20):
Look, I just want people to look at the data on what this administration has done, the number of public safety threats we removed from the streets across this country that makes these communities safer. ICE has had an office here for decades. Before, it was called the INS, Immigration and Naturalization Service. This footprint will remain here and they'll continue to do immigration enforcement here., But as President Trump has said from day one, we're going prioritize the public safety threats again, but prioritization doesn't mean forget about everybody else. That means if you have a criminal alien here and not a criminal here, the criminal always comes first, because he's the biggest threat to the communities. We'll continue to enforce immigration law. We won't get back to the footprint here, the normal footprint here, but there will be some security teams staying here, the QRFs, until we're assured that those agitators incidents either stay low or further decline.
(20:17)
I'm not going to remove everybody out of [inaudible 00:20:20] but like I said, Operation Metro Surge is ending, and in the next week, we're going to deploy the officers here on detail back to their home stations or other areas of the country where they're needed. But we're going to continue to enforce immigration law, that's what the American people voted for, but it has to be a priority of criminals. And look, I hear all the hate about you should arrest everybody. Well, we are, but we're prioritizing those who are the biggest threat to our community, the rapists, the murderers, the child molesters. That's the right thing to do. But I'll say it again, President Trump made a promise of mass deportation, and that's what this country's going to get. But smart law enforcement do targeted enforcement operations.
(21:09)
Now, I've heard people attack me for using the word targeted. I've sat, for the last two months, when I watched this operation, daily press briefs, they're talking about targeted Title VIII operations. Nothing's changed other than we're going to make sure they're targeted and make sure we know who we're going for, what's their immigration record or what's their criminal history, that comes first. But enforcement of Title VIII is not going to end. If you're in this country legally, you're not off the table, and I think we're proving that if you look at the data.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
[inaudible 00:21:41]
Speaker 4 (21:42):
Mr. Homan, I just had a question about the final number of arrests you had, and how many of those people arrested were those targeted security threats you were after?
Tom Homan (21:52):
I don't have the exact breakdown. I know we've made over 4,000 arrests here. That is something local field officers can supply. I don't have the exact breakdown. But I can tell you, since I've been on the ground, they've been targeting enforcement arrests. I believe they were targeting enforcement arrests before I got here. What I did is create one chain of command where everybody knows what everybody else is doing and integrate operation command centers. There were some issues here and we addressed those issues. But I'm not going to sit here and say anybody did anything wrong and that they were unprofessional. I'm going to say there was some issues here, we fixed those issues. We've had great success with this operation and we're leaving Minnesota safer. The surge is leaving Minnesota safer, Minneapolis safer. Because of the cooperation we got with the counties and the state and local law enforcement responding to our needs, I'll say it again, it's less of a sanctuary state for criminals.
Speaker 5 (22:57):
Yeah. Sorry to go a little off-topic here, but can you confirm that CPB actually hit a party balloon instead of a drone with a laser during the incident in El Paso, and why wasn't that action coordinated with the FAA?
Tom Homan (23:08):
I have no information on that. It's out of my league.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
We're going to keep the questions to the Minnesota topic. Go ahead.
Speaker 6 (23:13):
Mr. Homan, can you specify how many county sheriffs, local jails, have agreed to work with you and honor ICE detainees?
Tom Homan (23:20):
I have not met one county jail that says no to us. They want to work with us.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Okay. We have time for one more. Go ahead.
Speaker 7 (23:30):
Yes. Hi, Mr. Holman. You talked about this unprecedented level of cooperation between local officials and yourself. Can you explain more what is changed now in terms of that cooperation from before?
Tom Homan (23:42):
Well, several things have changed. First of all, when the agents were out doing operations and the agitators proposed a public safety threat, not just to the officers, but the communities, law enforcement response has been sporadic at best. I think what you've seen now, what you saw this past weekend, is law enforcement's responding to public safety needs quickly, and people were arrested for violating city ordinances as far as unlawful assembly and so forth. They've come to assist us and make sure our officers, the persons we have in custody, leave that scene safely. You've seen this weekend, and I'm happy that the local state... The state was there also, that responded, and we haven't seen any incidents of them not responding since we have these agreements in place now. As far as the jails, we've got more cooperations and more jails than they had before we got here, and that's a good thing. We're having a conversation with the state. State already accept our detainees, but we're moving further on our agreements for the state.
(24:46)
So the cooperation we have here is going to keep this city safer, it's going to keep our agent safer. Arresting public safety threats in a jail just makes sense. I was talking to my chief of staff this morning on the way over here, I see that most people on the other side, I say the other side, this argument, Democrats versus Republicans, whatever, but most of the people, even Democrats, are saying they want public safety threats to be the focus. They think public safety threats, illegal aliens, should be addressed. But to say that and not let us into jail, you can't square that. I just noticed the Governor of New York, my home state, I've heard her say that she believes public safety threats, aliens, should be the focus of ICE. But in that press conference last week, to lock us out the jails and end 287(g) agreements, how do you square that? You can't.
(25:42)
So again, prioritization of public safety threats don't mean we forget about everybody else. We're going to enforce immigration law, we're going to have a mass deportation. President Trump promised that and we're committed to that. However, it shouldn't be a partisan issue that you arrest public safety threats in the safety and security of a jail. Releasing public safety threats back in the public is just stupid, and I've been arguing this for years, and I hope Congress takes action on sanctuary cities and sanctuary states. It makes sense if you think about it. Even the argument I hear, "Well, victims and witnesses of crime that are in the country, we want to feel safe to come to law enforcement to report those crimes without fearing that this law enforcement agency is working with ICE." That's just a bunch of crap, because victims and witnesses of crime don't want the bad guy released to the neighborhood either. It's ridiculous.
(26:47)
We want access to the person that you chose, the local jurisdiction chose, to lock in a jail cell, and we have that cooperation here now. It's the right thing to do. It makes this community safer. This community is safer because we arrested 4,000 illegal aliens, over 4,000 illegal aliens here, many of them a public safety threat, not all of them. As I said, we're going to enforce immigration law. But this community is much safer because of President Trump's leadership and the men and women standing on this stage.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
Thank you. That's all the questions we're going to take right now.