White House border czar Tom Homan mocked anti-ICE agitators who have set up roadblocks and checkpoints in Minneapolis as a “joke” on Wednesday, saying they are only harming their own communities.
Homan made the statement during a press conference in Minnesota on Wednesday, telling reporters that local police were dismantling the checkpoints.
“When I was made aware that the roadblocks exist, I called the chief of police, and he went and disbanded them after I got off the phone with him. He has promised to take enforcement action,” Homan said after being asked about the issue.
“This is illegal. You can’t do that,” he continued. “My message to those folks is, what are you doing? You really think you’re stopping ICE and CBP from doing their job? It’s a joke. The only people you’re hurting is your own community who wants to go and get groceries and pick up their dry cleaning or go to work, whatever. You’re just hindering them. Stop. Stop.”
‘BORDER CZAR’ TOM HOMAN SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT ABOUT HIS MISSION IN MINNEAPOLIS
Homan made the statement minutes after announcing a drawdown of federal presence in the Twin Cities, saying 700 federal agents would be withdrawing from the area.
Homan highlighted meetings he had with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, urging them all to allow local jails to communicate with federal law enforcement about when they planned to release illegal immigrants being detained there.
“We currently have an unprecedented number of counties communicating with us now and allowing ICE to take custody of illegal aliens before they hit the streets. Unprecedented cooperation,” Homan said Wednesday. “I’ll say it again: This is efficient, and it requires only one or two officers to assume custody of a criminal alien target, rather than eight or 10 officers going into the community and arresting that public safety threat.”
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“Given this increase in unprecedented collaboration, and as a result of less need for law enforcement officers to do this work in a safer environment, I have announced immediately we will draw down 700 people effective today,” he said.
Homan went on to note that federal authorities are not requiring jails to hold illegal migrants beyond their normal release time.
“We’re not asking anyone to be an immigration officer,” he said.
Walz expressed support for the drawdown soon after it was announced on Wednesday, but he said more needs to be done.
“Today’s announcement is a step in the right direction, but we need a faster and larger drawdown of forces, state-led investigations into the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, and an end to this campaign of retribution,” Walz wrote on X.
