“If He Doesn’t Want to Help, Get the Hell Out of the Way,” Tom Homan Slams Illinois Governor Over Deportation Plan

Tom Homan, the incoming “border czar” appointed by President-elect Donald Trump, has made it clear that he intends to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, with or without the assistance of local officials. However, Illinois Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker is now raising concerns, suggesting that Homan may not have the “authority” to carry out such a plan in his state.

Politico reported on Wednesday that Pritzker criticized Homan’s role, emphasizing that it isn’t an official government position that requires Senate confirmation. “Being a border czar is not an official position in the government, and it will be up to the President of the United States and up to the leaders of the Customs and Border Patrol to make decisions about how we’ll manage the border,” Pritzker told Politico.

Trump has long promised to ramp up deportations immediately upon taking office and has even floated the idea of deploying the U.S. military to assist with his deportation program, a plan that has already drawn backlash from some Republicans. He has also proposed using National Guard troops from Republican-led states to help round up and detain immigrants.

However, Pritzker made it clear that he would not cooperate with the Trump administration’s deportation efforts. “I do not believe that we should be pitting one state’s National Guard against another state,” the two-term governor said. “I think that’s un-American.” He also stated that he would not authorize the Illinois National Guard to assist ICE agents and would prevent any other state’s National Guard from entering Illinois to aid in deportations.

Homan, who spoke at a Republican event in Chicago’s northwest suburbs, fired back at both Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who has also pledged not to cooperate with Trump’s immigration policies. Homan called both officials “terrible” but urged them to “come to the table.” He added, “If he doesn’t want to help, get the hell out of the way. Chicago’s in trouble because your mayor sucks and your governor sucks.”

Despite the pushback from local leaders, Trump’s mass deportation plans face additional obstacles, including issues with removing some undocumented immigrants, as reported by The Washington Post. Many of the estimated 1.4 million individuals set for deportation cannot be removed due to reasons such as refusal from their home countries, incarceration, or legal reprieves.

As Trump prepares to take office, these ongoing tensions between state and federal authorities promise to complicate the implementation of his immigration agenda.