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President Donald Trump has sent his top immigration enforcer, Tom Homan, to Minneapolis to lead federal operations after two U.S. citizens were fatally shot by federal agents in the city within a month. Homan, dubbed the administration's "border tsar," arrived Tuesday to coordinate with local officials, replacing Border Patrol chief Gregory Bovino.
Homan's role and background
Homan, 64, is a longtime ally of Trump and a career immigration officer. He began as a police officer in upstate New York before joining the Border Patrol in 1984. By 2013, under the Obama administration, he led Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations-a position he initially planned to leave in 2017.
Trump's incoming chief of staff, John Kelly, persuaded him to stay, and Homan later returned from retirement in 2024 at the request of current Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. Though the "border tsar" title is unofficial, Homan oversees cross-agency immigration policy without Senate confirmation.
Enforcement philosophy
Homan has defended Trump's deportation policies, arguing they target "the worst of the worst" while blaming "sanctuary cities" for broader arrests of undocumented migrants without criminal records. "We're not going to instruct ICE not to arrest someone unless there's a serious crime," he told reporters in July. "What message does that send the whole world? Go ahead and enter the country."
His stance has drawn criticism from advocates, who note his role in implementing the Trump administration's family separation policy. Michael Lukens of the Amica Center, an immigrant legal aid group, called Homan "a career deportation advocate" and "the architect of family separation," adding, "There is no world in which Homan is a moderate."
Shift in Minneapolis leadership
Homan's deployment follows the expected departure of Gregory Bovino, whose aggressive tactics-including the "turn and burn" method of rapid arrests-sparked backlash from lawmakers. Bovino, a 28-year Border Patrol veteran, rose to prominence in Trump's second term, leading crackdowns in cities like Los Angeles and Chicago. Unlike Homan, Bovino's career focused on border operations, though he answered directly to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in an informal "commander-at-large" role.
Former DHS official Lora Ries, now at the Heritage Foundation, said the change reflects Homan's deeper experience in interior enforcement but won't alter the administration's approach. "All deportable undocumented migrants will continue to be on the table," she told the BBC.
Political and public reaction
The White House defended Homan in September after a dropped bribery case involving a $50,000 payment from undercover agents. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called the allegations an attempt to "entrap" a key ally. Meanwhile, activists argue the leadership swap is a PR move. "This is about whether the White House sees this as a political issue, not a human one," Lukens said.
Homan's arrival coincides with heightened scrutiny of federal operations in Minneapolis, where two fatal shootings by agents have intensified local tensions.
