Trump Administration Border Czar Tom Homan wasn’t too happy with MSNBC Morning Joe host Mika Brzezinski’s questionable framing of his ICE raids on Tuesday.
And Homan quickly went about correcting the record.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement is conducting a federal operation in Massachusetts aimed at arresting and deporting the “worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens,” the agency confirmed this week.
Brzezinski pressed Homan for data to prove that ICE agents were targeting violent offenders rather than “harmless people.” Homan pushed back, listing the charges of several recent arrests in Boston.
“Right now, I see on the show this morning, you had [Democratic Massachusetts] Governor [Maura] Healey on the show talking about ICE doing enforcement operations at a church. False. Didn’t happen,” Homan said. “But to say that and to push that out there puts fear in the immigrant community.”
Brzezinski accused ICE of intimidating immigrants by parking near a Massachusetts church during an operation. Homan responded by naming offenders taken into custody.
“Let me tell you in the last couple of days [about] what’s happened in Boston. They’ve arrested Victor Gomez Perez, a 33-year-old criminal alien from Guatemala with charges of aggravated rape, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, indecent assault and battery on a victim 14 years or younger,” Homan told Brzezinski.
He added that ICE also arrested a Colombian national facing charges of “aggravated assault on a pregnant victim,” and a 23-year-old Dominican Republic national for drug trafficking, resisting police, disorderly conduct and drug distribution. Another illegal immigrant recently arrested committed assault and battery on a child.
“This past year, I’ve seen innocent Americans raped and murdered by people who are not supposed to be here,” Homan said. “So rather than going back and forth and saying, ‘well, ICE has got a car parked near a church,’ that is ridiculous. They’re out there looking for people like this.”
Brzezinski continued to demand comprehensive data on ICE arrests. Homan shot back that her accusations of ICE “disappearing people” were baseless.
“I have always spoken with integrity on this program,” Homan said. “U.S. citizens get arrested by police everyday. Are they being disappeared? No, the laws are being enforced, they’re being arrested, they’re being put in detention because they committed a criminal offense.”
“Not like what you’re doing,” Brzezinski interjected.
“No, we’re enforcing the law and arresting people here who are in violation of the law and are public safety threats. That’s not disappearing people. That’s enforcing the laws of this country to make this country safer,” Homan said.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, as of July 20, President Donald Trump’s administration has arrested over 300,000 illegal immigrants since the start of his second term on Jan. 20. DHS said 70% of those arrested have been charged with or convicted of crimes.
Watch the clip above.
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