Footage has resurfaced on the internet showing former ICE Director Tom Homan educating Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez with facts on the border. President-elect Donald Trump recently tapped Homan to serve as his border czar in the incoming Trump-Vance administration, bringing renewed attention to the former ICE director’s “zero-tolerance” record on illegal immigration.
During Trump’s first presidency, Homan appeared before a congressional hearing amid the Democratic outrage over families being separated after being detained for illegally entering the United States. However, Homan provided his perspective on the matter, shutting down AOC’s arguments that the treatment of illegal immigrants was inhumane.
AOC began her tirade against Trump border policies, suggesting they were a violation of human rights, according to the United Nations. “So we as members of the United Nations signed on into an international human rights agreement, saying very clearly that family separation is a violation of international human rights, and we pursued a policy that violates human rights. You know, Mr. Chair, I was looking, how did we get to this point?”
The progressive congresswoman called out Homan’s recommendations he gave, stating, “But it says here that you read, you gave her numerous options, but the recommendation was option three, family separation.” However, Homan set the record straight, stating, “I’m saying this is not the only paper where we’ve given the secretary numerous options to secure the border and save lives.” AOC then said, “And so the recommendation of the many that you recommended, you recommended family separation.”
Homan defended his “zero-tolerance” policy, explaining, “I recommend a zero-tolerance … the same as is whatever US citizen, parent gets arrested when they’re with a child.” However, the “Squad” member didn’t seem to acknowledge this argument from Homan that illegal immigrants were being treated equally to American citizens who broke the law.
As AOC continued to rail against the “zero-tolerance” policies, the former ICE director interjected once again to educate the New York Democrat with facts. “If I get arrested for DUI and I have a young child in a car, I’m gonna be separated. When I was a police officer in New York and I arrested a father for domestic violence, I separated that father from the family,” he said.
AOC retorted, “Mr. Homan, with all due respect, legal asylees are not charged with any crime.” Citing United States law, Homan confirmed that unlawfully crossing the border, whether seeking asylum or not, is still a crime if an asylum seeker doesn’t go through a legal port of entry. “When you’re in the country illegally, it’s violation eight United States Code, 1325,” Homan said, citing the specific law.
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Seemingly ignoring Homan’s prior statement, AOC fired back, “Seeking asylum is legal.” Homan maintained, “If you want to seek asylum and go to the port of entry. Do it the legal way.” At this point, Ocasio Cortez was beginning to appear visibly frustrated with Homan continually shutting down her argument. “The Attorney General of the United States and made that clear,” he said.
Watch a clip from the congressional hearing below:
Note: The featured image is a screenshot from the embedded video.