Border Czar Tom Homan confirms deportations in Virginia despite Governor Spanberger’s directive

Conflict Over Immigration Enforcement in Virginia

Tom Homan, the White House border security chief, is asserting that the Trump administration will pursue deportations despite pushback from Virginia’s new Democratic governor, Abigail Spanberger.

Spanberger, often depicted as a moderate during her campaign last year, made waves this week by issuing an executive order that prohibits local and state law enforcement from collaborating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

During a recent appearance on the “Ruthless” podcast, Homan expressed surprise at the stark change in Spanberger’s stance since her gubernatorial campaign. He recalled her campaign slogan, highlighting her background in law enforcement, where she claimed to have helped rescue children from sex trafficking. “It’s quite a shift,” Homan remarked. “Once she took office, it seems she stepped away from that role and embraced being a politician instead.” He questioned the disconnect between her past promises and her current actions.

Homan emphasized that the administration has successfully located 130,000 missing children, indicating that many were victims of trafficking, a situation he insisted the previous administration overlooked. He seemed baffled by Spanberger’s drastic change in priorities since becoming governor, implying she has become unrecognizable compared to her campaign self.

While acknowledging Spanberger’s previous work with the CIA, Homan suggested he had “forgotten” her contributions once she was in office. “I wish we could collaborate, but it doesn’t look promising,” he noted.

When pressed about how to navigate Spanberger’s executive order, Homan expressed determination. “We’ll find a way around it,” he stated, adding that this approach is necessary in states like New York, California, and Illinois, where cooperation with ICE is also lacking. He indicated that such non-cooperation complicates their work, necessitating more resources to track down individuals who should be detained.

Homan went on to describe an ideal collaboration where local law enforcement would detain undocumented individuals for ICE, streamlining the process. Instead, he hinted at the repercussions of releasing individuals who pose public safety threats into communities.

In a firm closing statement, Homan criticized what he sees as a deliberate disregard for public safety by local governments. “They’re creating a situation where we have to mobilize more resources to deal with this. They may not like it, but our mission will continue,” he asserted.