President-elect Trump’s incoming border czar, Tom Homan, said Sunday that enforcement officials are “reconsidering” some of the details of the Chicago immigration operation after specifics were leaked to the press.
In an interview on Fox News’s “America’s Newsroom,” Homan made clear that the operation would not be aborted altogether but that officials would revisit some of the specifics to ensure officers’ safety.
“We’re not reconsidering any operation. There was a leak in Chicago. So we’re looking at that leak and find out, how does it affect officer safety concerns?” Homan said, when asked about reporting that officials were “reconsidering” whether to proceed with the operation this week.
“Chicago’s not off the table, but we’re reconsidering when and how we do it because there was a leak,” Homan continued.
Homan, former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), said he is happy to talk publicly about his overall objectives to secure the border and heighten enforcement of the country’s immigration laws, but he said discussing “specific plans” can raise concerns for officers’ safety.
“What was leaked in Chicago was more specific, what was happening, and that raises officer safety concern,” Homan said.
“They already have a dangerous job. Like I said, they’re going to arrest public safety threats and national security threats, dangerous. But when those bad guys has a heads-up that we’re hitting you at this time this day, it raises officer safety concerns, specific operational plans.”
“So we’re looking at it, what was leaked, what’s actually in there and how is it going to affect us moving forward,” he added.
The Wall Street Journal reported Friday night that the incoming Trump administration was planning an immigration raid in Chicago, citing four sources familiar with the planning. According to the Journal, between 100 and 200 officers would be there to carry out the operation, which was expected to begin Tuesday morning and last all week.
Following that reporting, Homan told The Washington Post on Saturday that the new administration “hasn’t made a decision yet” about the raid.
“We’re looking at this leak and will make a decision based on this leak,” Homan said to the Post. “It’s unfortunate because anyone leaking law enforcement operations puts officers at greater risk.”
He also said he didn’t know why Chicago “became a focus of attention” and that enforcement efforts would extend throughout the country, telling the Post, “We’ll be arresting people across the country, uninhibited by any prior administration guidelines. Why Chicago was mentioned specifically, I don’t know.”
“This is nationwide thing,” Homan said. “We’re not sweeping neighborhoods. We have a targeted enforcement plan.”
