By New York Post (U.S.) | Created at 2024-12-12 23:22:23 | Updated at 2024-12-23 17:19:11
1 week ago
Incoming border czar Tom Homan came out swinging in Chicago this week, saying mass deportations would start in the Windy City, telling residents, “Your mayor sucks and your governor sucks.”
The former acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement asked Mayor Brandon Johnson and Gov. JB Pritzker to “come to the table” to help with the huge deportation initiative, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
But, speaking about Johnson, “if he doesn’t want to help, get the hell out of the way.”
Johnson and Pritzker have both vowed to uphold the city and state’s sanctuary city policies protecting migrants from federal agents.
Homan made the blistering remarks at a holiday party hosted by the Law and Order PAC and the Northwest Side GOP Club Monday.
“Chicago’s in trouble because your mayor sucks and your governor sucks,” Homan said.
The forthcoming border boss also vowed to arrest anyone caught with migrant criminals.
“When they go find that bad guy, and when they find him, he’s probably going to be with others,” he said. “Others that are not a priority because they’re not a criminal. But guess what? They’re going to be arrested too.”
“Because he forced me into that position. So he wants to play the game. I’ll play that game,” he added.
Johnson’s office didn’t immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
Homan previously told The Post that Trump may consider withholding federal funding from sanctuary jurisdictions.
At the holiday party, he also said that splitting up migrant families was a possibility, even if that’s not his ultimate goal.
“My goal is to enforce the law, but if you put yourself in that position, it may happen,” he said. “But there’s no plan in this administration right now to separate families. It just isn’t. However, we’re going to enforce the law. So if you put yourself in that position — it’s on you.”
Pritzker has already pledged legal action, calling Homan’s proposals “illegal.”
On Wednesday, the governor said he would meet with the incoming Trump administration but said his duty was to protect migrants.
“He does not have the authority to do the things he has talked about,” Pritzker said, according to WGN9. “Being a border czar is not an official position.”
Chicago has received 51,000 migrants since August 2022.
Much of that was a result of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s busing effort, which delivered more than 36,000 of them from the southern border to the Windy City.
Homan met with New York City Mayor Eric Adams Thursday to discuss the Big Apple’s migrant crisis — the worst in the country.
