Tom Homan, serving as Border Czar, outlined his views on border security and the impact of illegal immigration during an interview with Benny Johnson, describing personal experiences from his decades-long career and the events that shaped his approach to enforcement.

Johnson began the exchange by asking about Homan’s long-standing commitment. “What is it in you that brings you to this level of conviction?” Johnson said.

He continued, “Because you just said, till the day I die, I will be going to find children that may be from Guatemala, Honduras.”

Johnson added, “They might not even speak your language, probably don't, but you are devoting your life to this. Why?”

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Homan responded by pointing to his career history and the experiences he said influenced his perspective.

“Because of what I've seen the last 40 years of my career,” Homan said.

He added, “I started in Border Patrol in 1984. I wore that uniform.”

Homan continued, “I was an ICE agent. I was the first ICE director came up through the ranks.”

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He said, “So the things I've seen in my career have changed the man I am.”

Homan described specific encounters involving children and migrants.

“I've talked to young girls as young as nine years old, nine, that were raped multiple times by members of the cartel as to pay for passage to come into United States,” he said.

Homan continued, “When you get on your knees and you talk to nine year old little girl, and everything you look in her eyes and everything in her is dead.”

He added, “Her life is ruined forever.”

He continued describing the impact of those experiences.

“It's just you just your heart breaks, because she will never be the same,” Homan said.

He added, “That little girl should be playing with dolls and have a time her life, but she will never be the same because she had grown men crawling on her, taking everything innocent and pure from her.”

Homan also described another incident involving migrants transported in a trailer.

“I've stood on back for tractor trailer when 19 dead aliens that died baked to death, including a five year old little boy that baked to death and begged his father not to let him die,” he said.

Homan continued, “The other witnesses said he begged his dad, I don't want to die. I want to see mommy.”

He added, “That little five year old was getting baked to death and back fat tractor trailer knowing he was dying.”

He said the incident had a personal impact. “When I went to that crime scene, I had a five year old son at the time,” Homan said.

He added, “That old boy is wearing the same underwear my little boy had that messed me up for a while.”

Homan noted that those responsible were prosecuted.

“Fortunately, we put all those 14 scumbags in prison. Got every one of them,” he said.

Homan also described enforcement operations targeting smuggling networks.

“Running Operation ICE Storm in Phoenix, Arizona, where smuggler organizations were smuggling people in,” he said.

He explained, “They put them in a stash house.” Homan added that rival groups would take control of migrants and demand additional payments from families.

“They call the relative up and say, Okay, we got your brother here, you lost $20,000,” he said.

He continued, “Well, it's 20,000 now you won't pay it. We kill him. And they did.”

Homan said such operations often involved violence. “Bodies were piling up,” he said.

He added, “They were actually calling relatives up, saying, if you don't pay, don't pay the fee, we're going to torture.”

He said, “They would put them on the phone, and the relative would listen to this person being tortured to death.”

He said his experiences shaped his views on border enforcement.

“So a lot of things I can go on for next two hours, things I've seen in my career,” Homan said.

He added, “So look, I love kids. It broke my heart.”

Homan connected his views to policy decisions.

“That's why I came back second time for President Trump,” he said.

He added, “I want to see what I could do to only, not only secure the border.”

Homan said, “People need to understand, when you secure the border, you save 1000s of lives.”

He contrasted current conditions with prior years. “Under President Biden, with historic mass illegal immigration is the most inhumane thing you can do,” Homan said.

He added, “31% of women that make that journey get raped. 31% admit it.”

Homan said, “Children were getting sexually assaulted. Children were dying.”

He also cited data on deaths and drug trafficking.

“Over under Biden, over 4000 aliens died making that journey,” Homan said.

He added, “A quarter million Americans died from fentanyl overdose that came across that border.”

Homan compared enforcement statistics. “Under President Trump, Trump, 45 we had a total of 14 people on terrorist watchlist arrested on southern border,” he said.

He added, “Under Joe Biden, over 400.”

He described his reaction during that period.

“For four years, I woke up pissed off,” Homan said.

He added, “How many children died last night? How many Americans died last night? How many young girls got raped last night?”

Homan concluded by addressing criticism of immigration enforcement agencies.

“What drives me is the things I've seen in my career,” he said.

He added, “I wish the people who hate the Border Patrol and hate ICE…wore my shoes for 40 years.”

Homan said, “Because they'd have a different opinion on the patriots of the Border Patrol.”

He added, “I love them. They're the finest young men and women this country has because they put themselves in harm's way today.”

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