Former U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director and incoming “border czar” Tom Homan said Wednesday on Fox News that he would not be intimidated by those seeking to harm him, following bomb threats and “swatting” calls directed at President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet picks.
Incoming White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt revealed Wednesday that several of Trump’s cabinet picks and their families are facing threats of violence since the announcement of their appointments to the former president’s second administration. On “The Story with Martha MacCallum,” Homan said he hadn’t taken the threats seriously until realizing that others were now facing danger, noting his attitude has lately been “if you want something, come get some.”
“Well, first of all, I appreciate what Nicole just said, but I’ll be honest with you. I have not taken this serious up to this point. Now that I know what’s happened [the] last 24 hours, I will take it a little more serious. But look, I’ve been dealing with this when I was the ICE director, in the first administration, I had numerous death threats. I had a security detail with me all the time. Even after I retired, the death threats continued. Even after I retired as the ICE director, I had U.S. Marshals protection for a long time to protect me and my family,” Homan said.
“What doesn’t help is all the negative press around the president and people he’s putting in his cabinet. Me, I’m not in the cabinet, but, I’ve read numerous hit pieces on me,” Homan added. “You know, ‘I’m a racist and, I’m the father of family separation,’ all this other stuff. So the hate media doesn’t help at all because there are some nuts out there that will take advantage. I thought we’re beyond that, [now the] elections over that we’re going to get beyond that … But I was with the attitude lately that if you want something, come get some. Because I’ve been through this many, many times.”
The Fox News host went on to question the former ICE director about whether he would play a role in ending the threats directed at both Republicans and Democrats following Inauguration Day.
“Well, I think the first role is not to be intimidated. I’m not going to be intimidated by these people. They’re not going to silence me. Look, I’m going to do this job. I want to do this job because it’s an issue of national security,” Homan said. “So you’re not going to shut me up. I’m not going away, and I’m going to do this job and I’m going to continue talking to [the] American people [about] why it needs to be done.”
Since being nominated as Trump’s incoming “border czar,” Homan has faced backlash from corporate media and Democrats over his push to fulfill Trump’s mass deportation plan. However, despite Democratic mayors claiming they would refuse to aid in Trump’s operation, Homan warned them Tuesday evening on Fox News to “get the hell out the way” or they could face legal repercussions.
