Tom Homan says 'hostile rhetoric,' hate against ICE 'must stop'

By Jon Brown, Christian Post Reporter Thursday, January 29, 2026

Border czar Tom Homan stressed the need for less hostile rhetoric to reduce violence and improve operational efficiency on Thursday as federal agents continue enforcing immigration law.

"The hostile rhetoric and dangerous threats and hate must stop," Homan said during a morning press conference in Minneapolis, where he was dispatched earlier this week by President Donald Trump to personally oversee operations amid ongoing unrest.

Homan said his Tuesday meeting with state and local leaders was productive, and that all agreed on the necessity of toning down the rhetoric.

Homan also indicated that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are working on a "drawdown plan," but emphasized that violent rhetoric, threats and assaults against federal agents will only prolong their presence. He said "the hateful rhetoric that has caused an increase in assaults" has necessitated surging the city with additional resources by sending security teams out with arrest teams.

Minnesota's capital region has been roiled in recent weeks as tensions have boiled over in the wake of the fatal shootings of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti by federal officers.

"Again, with the agreements we've achieved ... with the rhetoric dropping down, that allows us to pull more agents out once we feel the environment is safer," Homan said.

"I begged for the last two months on TV for the rhetoric to stop. I said in March that if the rhetoric didn't stop, there was going to be bloodshed, and there has been. I wish I wasn't right. I don't want to see anybody die — not officers, not members of the community and not the targets of our operations," he continued.

TOM HOMAN: "I begged for the last two months on TV for the rhetoric to stop."

"I said in March if the rhetoric didn't stop, there was going to be bloodshed, and there has been."

"I wish I wasn't right. I don't want to see anybody die. Not officers, not members of the community… pic.twitter.com/cBpvrpvrcP

— Fox News (@FoxNews) January 29, 2026

Homan explained that ICE officers are simply enforcing the laws enacted by Congress, and urged anyone who objects to them to appeal to their legislators. While he acknowledged that peaceful protest is acceptable, he added there will be "zero tolerance" for threatening or obstructing law enforcement officers.

During what he described as a "meaningful dialogue" with both Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Democratic Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, he noted they did not agree on everything, but that they agreed on the importance of protecting officers.

Homan also suggested that Democratic politicians who are attacking ICE are exhibiting selective outrage that undermines efforts to undo the damage that he attributed to the Biden administration, during which over 10 million illegal immigrants entered the U.S.

"Where were they the last four years, when women and children being sex-trafficked reached an all-time high?" he asked. "Where were they when a quarter-million Americans died from fentanyl coming across the border? Where were they when women and children were dying making that journey?"

"Where were they when over 4,000 families making that journey died, historic record? Where were they? Not a word. Now we're just trying to respond to what happened the last four years and keep this country safe. And we're arresting a lot of public safety threats to take them off the streets to make this country safer."

"President Trump promised to make this country safe again, and that's what we're doing," he added.

Homan urged protesters to remember that federal immigration officers are human beings with families, and that many of them have seen horrific things while attempting to remain professional and enforce the law.

"These men and women that carry that badge and gun are American patriots. They put themselves on the line for this nation every day. I want you to remember they don't hang their heart on a hook every day to come to work. They're mothers and fathers, too. They're sons and daughters, too — and if they've seen a fraction of the tragedies I've seen in my career, they take a lot of damage home every day," he said.