Border Czar Responds to Catholic Bishops’ Critique

On November 14, 2025, Border Czar Tom Homan expressed his disagreement with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which had condemned the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts earlier this week.

“The Catholic Church is wrong,” Homan stated during a press conference at the White House. “I’m a lifelong Catholic, but I’m saying this not only as a border czar, but also as a Catholic,” he emphasized.

The bishops released their statement on Wednesday, criticizing the administration for what they termed “indiscriminate” removal practices.

“We are disturbed when we see among our people a climate of fear and anxiety around questions of profiling and immigration enforcement,” the statement noted. “We are saddened by the state of contemporary debate and the vilification of immigrants.”

The bishops’ comments came after American Pope Leo XIV encouraged U.S. bishops to address their concerns regarding President Trump’s deportation policies. However, Homan insisted that the administration’s focus remains unchanged.

“A secure border saves lives. We’re going to enforce the law and, by doing that, we save many lives,” he remarked. “ICE is sending a message to the whole world.”

Homan noted that the current enforcement measures are linked to a significant drop in crossings at the southern border, which have intensified under Trump’s presidency. He defended the administration’s strategy against what he described as misleading claims.

“If people would just look at the data, they’d see that the vast majority of what ICE does addresses public safety threats. Much of the media suggests that a lot of those in ICE detention aren’t criminals — that’s wrong,” he asserted. “Many of these individuals pose national security threats, and many may not have prior criminal records. Being in the country illegally is a crime.”