Tom Homan Warns ICE Deployment Secures Airports, Stops Smugglers

At CPAC 2026, Border Czar Tom Homan spoke plainly about the immigration surge, ICE’s new airport roles, removals and rescues, and how renewed enforcement is reshaping agency morale and public safety.

The crowd welcomed Tom Homan with loud applause when he took the stage with Mercedes Schlapp, and that reaction told you where this audience stands. Homan used his time to outline operational changes and to defend enforcement actions that had been criticized by opponents. He framed the shifts as practical responses to a broken system rather than political theater.

Homan emphasized that Immigration and Customs Enforcement moving into airports was not merely a TSA support move but a national-security measure tied to global events. He argued that putting experienced ICE personnel in those transit hubs improves screening and reduces vulnerabilities at points of entry. The point was that this is about protecting travelers and the homeland, not window dressing.

He also stressed morale within ICE, saying agents feel empowered because they are being allowed to do the jobs they were trained to do after years of restrictions. Homan contrasted that newfound ability to act with what he described as antagonistic rhetoric from Democrats during prior years. That tension, he noted, has real effects on agency effectiveness and recruitment.

Homan claimed credit for the Trump administration’s success in shutting down illegal entry routes that critics once called impossible to close. He framed this as practical governance: enforcing laws already on the books and restoring deterrence. The claim tied to a broader narrative that policy and leadership can reverse trends that appeared entrenched under the previous administration.

The Border Czar returned repeatedly to the size of the problem under the Biden administration, citing 2.1 million people who entered the country illegally during that period. He pointed out an odd and troubling detail: many of those migrants paid smugglers thousands of dollars instead of presenting themselves at official ports of entry and claiming asylum. Homan used that fact to underline the likelihood that many entrants tried to avoid detection for reasons that merit concern.

Homan argued the reality of paid smuggling suggests an intent to evade screening, and he warned about the consequences of having large numbers of people in the country who were not vetted. He stressed that the government lacks reliable information on the whereabouts and backgrounds of many of these individuals. That uncertainty, he said, presents risks to communities and complicates law enforcement efforts.

He added that roughly 2 million illegal entrants have self-deported, a figure he used to illustrate the dynamic movement of people across borders. On enforcement priorities, Homan noted that six out of ten of the illegal aliens ICE has detained had criminal records. He clarified that enforcement actions continue for others as well, saying immigration laws are being applied regardless of every person’s prior convictions or lack thereof.

One of his most striking claims was the recovery of 145,000 missing children, many allegedly exploited into involuntary servitude and forced labor. Homan described this as life-saving work, not only for Americans but for vulnerable migrants who are often preyed upon by smugglers and traffickers. He framed those recoveries as a moral as well as operational win tied to reinvigorated enforcement.

Homan repeatedly referenced the Constitution and Congressional statutes as the basis for ICE and Border Patrol actions, asserting continuity with laws enforced under previous administrations. He praised specific operations, including work in Minneapolis, and credited the officers on the ground rather than seeking personal acclaim. That leadership style, he said, follows his own practice of giving credit to field personnel while accepting responsibility when things go wrong.

When asked about the new Secretary of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, Homan offered a brief, direct endorsement: “Right time. Right guy. Right job.” That quote stood out for its simplicity and for reinforcing Homan’s pattern of succinct judgments about leadership. It also signaled his confidence in the current direction of the department.

The tone throughout his remarks was focused on results: arrests, removals, rescues, and restoring agency capacity. Homan insisted that reinvigorated enforcement reduces deadly crossings across hostile terrain and discourages the smuggling networks profiting from chaos. His message was that policy choices have tangible consequences for lives and national security.

Following his appearance, the conversation at CPAC centered on enforcement, deterrence, and the balance between border security and humanitarian concerns. Delegates and speakers debated operational details, but Homan’s insistence on law, order and agency empowerment dominated the discussion. His presence reaffirmed a policy approach that prioritizes enforcement as the primary tool for reducing illegal migration.