Tom Homan Addresses Calls to Abolish ICE Amid Record Border Enforcement

Tom Homan, the border czar, strongly criticizes progressive calls to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). His comments come as border enforcement actions reach unprecedented levels. With record-breaking arrests and deportations, Homan emphasizes that seventy percent of detainees are convicted criminals.

Homan also highlights ICE’s critical role in rescuing over 150,000 smuggled children. He warns of dangerous consequences if the agency is dismantled.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has deported over 2,000 known or suspected terrorists since President Donald Trump commenced office in January 2025, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

DHS reports ICE arrested more than 2,150 known or suspected terrorists between January 20, 2025, and September 9, 2026, deporting 2,015 within that timeframe.

As we reflect on the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, the brave men and women of ICE continue to carry out their duty to protect the homeland and keep the American people safe, said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin.

DHS stated ICE had arrested over 2,100 known or suspected terrorists and deported over 2,000. The 9/11 anniversary highlights the department’s commitment to ongoing vigilance.

Several recent cases involve alleged terrorists and members of designated foreign terrorist organizations. In one case from June, federal authorities arrested Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez, a Mexican national described by DHS as the suspected ringleader of a mass-casualty plot targeting UFC Freedom 250 at the White House. After overstaying a visitor visa in 2001, Alvarez gained DACA status in 2014.

ICE Homeland Security Investigations arrested another individual, Felipe Linares De Oliveira Dell Aquilla, a Brazilian national identified by DHS as a former commander of two foreign terrorist organizations. Authorities recovered a handgun, cash, and multiple electronic devices following a pursuit in North Carolina.

Aquilla was wanted in Brazil on charges of criminal association and extortion. He allegedly held his wife against her will while planning to flee to Mexico. ICE issued a detainer after his arrest, as investigators pursued further charges.

Additionally, in May, four Venezuelan members of Tren de Aragua pleaded guilty in connection to a 2024 Bronx shooting that killed two individuals. DHS noted all four entered the U.S. illegally between 2022 and 2023.

The nation approaches the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which resulted in nearly 3,000 deaths across New York City, the Pentagon, and Pennsylvania.

The attacks led to significant changes in the nation’s homeland security, including the establishment of DHS in 2002 and ICE in the following year. The upcoming anniversary serves as a moment to honor the victims and first responders while reflecting on ongoing efforts to prevent large-scale terrorist attacks.