For years, Tom Homan has made it clear he believes sanctuary cities aren’t just misguided — they’re dangerous. But now, the former acting ICE director is signaling that real consequences may finally be on the way.
In a Tuesday interview, Homan dropped a pointed warning when asked whether sanctuary city officials should face jail time under federal law for shielding illegal immigrants from deportation. His response was brief — but unmistakable.
“Absolutely,” Homan replied. “And hold tight on that one. Because it’s coming. It’s coming.”
That chilling message comes as Homan, who currently serves as the nation’s border czar under President Donald Trump, renews his push for the Department of Justice to hold local leaders accountable for defying federal immigration laws.
“Sanctuary cities can sit by and watch their communities get ravaged by illegal aliens. They can watch young women get raped and murdered,” Homan said in the same interview. “Trump administration is not going to stand for that.”
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Under existing U.S. law — specifically 8 U.S.C. § 1324 — it is a crime to “conceal, harbor, or shield from detection” any illegal alien. Critics of sanctuary jurisdictions argue that local policies limiting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement directly violate this statute.
Homan has long argued that mayors, county supervisors, and city councilmembers who implement these policies should not be immune from the law. The comments mark a sharp escalation in the ongoing legal and political battle over sanctuary cities.
While the Trump administration previously targeted these jurisdictions through funding restrictions and legal action, Homan’s remarks suggest something much stronger may be underway — namely, criminal prosecution of the officials involved.
“I mean, what we’re doing is when you secure the border, not only are you going to stop the bad element coming across, you’re saving lives,” Homan told Fox News. “Like, right now we’ve got 95 percent, the numbers are down 95 percent, right? So, you know, many organizations, nonpartisan organizations, have done studies saying, you know, 31 percent of women make that journey to use cartels get sexually assaulted.”
“So you look at, when 95 percent less people are coming, like right now, how many women aren’t being raped by the cartels? How many children aren’t dying, you know, making that journey? How many women and children aren’t sex trafficked across the border? How many pounds of fentanyl is not getting through a secured border?” he asked.
Homan finished, “How many billions of dollars a cartel is not making? How many people on terrorist watchlist aren’t crossing the border? So secure border saves lives. So president Trump’s policies, executive actions is bold action is saving thousands of lives every week.”
In recent months, Homan has focused particular attention on cities like New York and San Diego, where local governments have openly flouted federal enforcement efforts. In New York, for example, Mayor Eric Adams recently reversed a 2014 policy barring ICE from operating at Rikers Island, allowing agents to resume work there after a personal meeting with Homan.
The move was praised by immigration hawks, but Homan made clear it’s not enough to simply open the door for ICE agents after the damage has already been done. For the Department of Justice, the question may no longer be theoretical.
While no names have been released publicly, Homan’s warning suggests the groundwork is already being laid. If the DOJ proceeds, it would mark the first time in modern history that local elected officials are prosecuted for implementing sanctuary policies.
And according to Homan, it’s not a matter of if — but when.
