Border Czar Calls for Increased Funding to Combat Illegal Immigration
Tom Homan is leading Trump’s initiatives on immigration enforcement.
On March 4, the border czar expressed that the Trump administration’s efforts to combat illegal immigration require additional funding.
“We need more facilities, more enforcement resources, and more air operations. This operation will require financial investment,” Tom Homan, the border czar, stated to reporters at the White House in Washington.
Homan explained that the financial support would aid Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the agency he once directed, as well as other departments in their efforts to identify and deport illegal immigrants.
He emphasized that while the funding needed is substantial, “it’s a one-time cost,” contrasting it with the ongoing expenses for schools, hospitals, and other services pertaining to illegal immigrants.
Upon commencing his second term on January 20, Trump signed executive orders aimed at reducing illegal immigration into the United States and deporting those who are already residing in the country unlawfully.
Federal data indicates a significant decrease in encounters with illegal immigrants at the U.S.–Mexico border since then.
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“President Trump has been a transformative figure,” Homan remarked, stating that Trump managed to secure the border “in a matter of weeks.”
Homan has been leading efforts focused on identifying and deporting illegal immigrants within the U.S.
While the administration is still in its beginning stages, the number of arrests has been lower compared to the final months of the previous administration. Book-ins in January reached 21,953, a slight decrease from 22,123 in December 2024, and further declined to approximately 16,150 in February, according to ICE.
Notably, more arrests are being carried out by ICE officers rather than Customs and Border Protection, indicating a greater emphasis on operations within the U.S. rather than at the border.
Deportation numbers have also seen a slight decline under Trump, with about 11,800 recorded in January and 10,900 in February, compared to 12,301 in December 2024.
Currently, there are approximately 43,759 illegal immigrants in custody awaiting deportation or other actions.
Homan stated that while the efforts are progressing positively, they still require additional funding.
“We’re operating at full capacity, but we need more resources to expand our operations,” he conveyed to reporters on Tuesday.
As part of enhanced enforcement measures, the Trump administration has been transferring some of the most violent illegal immigrants to Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, with some already deported from Guantanamo to Venezuela.
Homan affirmed that the transfers would persist.
“It’s the ideal location for the most dangerous individuals,” he asserted.
