Tom Homan, the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement chief, issued a blunt warning over the “border czar”: immigration raids will continue daily in Los Angeles, and even top California officials like Governor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass could face arrest if they obstruct federal agents.
“We’re going to keep enforcing the law every day in L.A.,” Homan told NBC News Saturday night. “I don’t care if they like it or not.”
His remarks came as protests erupted across Los Angeles County after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began conducting raids in the area. Demonstrators clashed with federal agents, surrounding vehicles and officers. Some protests remained peaceful, but others turned chaotic. At least one protester was struck by a car, and police deployed tear gas and less-lethal rounds. LAPD confirmed 11 arrests for failure to disperse.
President Donald Trump followed through on his promise to deploy the National Guard, sending troops into the city early Sunday. Both Bass and Newsom warned this could further inflame tensions.
Homan’s Warning to Officials
Homan didn’t mince words about the legal risks for anyone interfering with federal operations. “You cross that line, it’s a felony,” he said, citing laws against harboring or concealing undocumented immigrants and obstructing law enforcement. When asked specifically about Newsom or Bass, Homan replied, “I’ll say it about anybody.”
However, he stopped short of accusing either official of crossing that legal threshold, noting, “I don’t believe [Bass] has crossed the line yet.” Neither Bass nor Newsom’s offices responded to requests for comment.
Targeting Public Safety Threats?
Homan emphasized that ICE is focused on those posing threats to public safety, pointing to a criminal warrant served at a downtown L.A. business. But he also made clear that all undocumented individuals are subject to arrest.
“If you’re in the country illegally, you’re not off the table,” he said.
Critics say ICE’s broad enforcement strategy doesn’t clearly differentiate between violent offenders and civil immigration violators. Recent actions have targeted locations like Home Depot, where day laborers often gather. Homan said agents there were enforcing “final orders of removal.”
ICE has also detained people during immigration interviews, heightening fear among those following legal immigration processes.
Sanctuary Laws, Public Backlash, and Political Tensions
Homan dismissed claims that ICE had targeted hospitals, schools, or churches, calling them misinformation. He defended ICE agents, condemning comparisons to Nazis or terrorists as “offensive and dangerous.”
He also lashed out at Governor Newsom, calling him an “embarrassment” and blaming California’s “Sanctuary State” law for enabling crime. “If he cared about public safety… criminals wouldn’t be released to the street every day because of his policy,” Homan said.
California law does require state prisons to notify ICE of deportable inmates within 90 days of their release date. However, the state does not hold individuals past their scheduled release if ICE fails to pick them up.
As protests continue and enforcement ramps up, Homan warned of escalating dangers: “If this violence isn’t tamped down, someone’s gonna die. And that’s just a cold fact of life.”
