Tom Homan: Feds Arresting 2,000 Illegal Migrants Daily

Tom Homan, the immigration czar, revealed the arrest figures during a White House press briefing on Monday, as Breitbart reports, while pushing back against critics who claim enforcement efforts remain insufficient compared to campaign promises.

Homan addressed accusations circulating among pro-American activists that deportation numbers have fallen short of expectations. He specifically disputed claims on social media suggesting that Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 3,000 illegal aliens daily last year, calling such figures false.

The border chief emphasized that current arrest levels represent a substantial increase over previous periods. According to his data review, arrests have surged approximately 40 percent compared to the same timeframe when the department received full funding. He noted that June marked the highest arrest numbers in agency history.

Homan also used the briefing to defend DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin amid ongoing tensions between the Republican base demanding deportations and business sectors seeking additional migrant labor. He stressed that while he and Mullin serve different roles—with ICE and CBP reporting to Mullin while Homan assists Stephen Miller in strategy development—both remain committed to the enforcement mission.

The immigration czar expressed frustration with what he characterized as unfair criticism of administration efforts. That’s an insult to every ICE agent that’s strapping up every day, Homan stated, defending officers working six and seven days weekly to execute enforcement operations.

He acknowledged that arrest numbers initially dropped 12 to 16 percent during the first months when the department faced funding constraints, but insisted figures have since rebounded dramatically once full resources became available.

While 2,000 daily arrests represent a significant improvement over previous administrations, the annual total of approximately 730,000 remains less than 10 percent of the estimated 8 million migrants admitted under President Joe Biden’s border policies, which critics argue drove down wages and spiked housing costs for American citizens.

Conservative enforcement advocates continue pressing for accelerated deportation efforts. Mike Howell, president of the Oversight Project and a figure within the Mass Deportation Coalition, told Breitbart that official numbers raise concerns and do not provide a complete picture of enforcement activity.

Howell expressed worry that inflated deportation statistics could be weaponized to justify amnesty proposals, drawing parallels to the Obama administration’s approach during the 2013-2014 Gang of Eight amnesty push. His organization has filed legal action against the Department of Homeland Security seeking detailed arrest and deportation data.

The transparency issue carries electoral implications, according to Howell, who emphasized that base Republican voters want mass deportation and view enforcement as a winning political issue. He stressed the importance of maintaining voter enthusiasm through honest reporting of enforcement figures ahead of upcoming elections.

DHS recently posted data indicating it has deported 356,389 migrants since October 2025, though enforcement advocates argue these numbers require independent verification and more granular breakdown.

Howell identified special interest lobbies relying on illegal labor—including agriculture, hospitality, and restaurant sectors—as key players who historically supported amnesty measures while simultaneously claiming tough enforcement records.

The establishment media representatives at Monday’s briefing did not question Homan about benefits to American workers from deportations and worksite enforcement, official deportation statistics, self-deportation estimates, white-collar migration fraud investigations, or business community demands for foreign workers.

With information from Breitbart