JAN. 2025. Blues Vol 41 No. 1

don’t actually solve

don’t actually solve the problem.”An additional factor in a border czar’ssuccess are the agency heads responsiblefor carrying out his plans. Trump has nominatedSouth Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem tobe secretary of Homeland Security — thedepartment that includes Immigration andCustoms Enforcement, Customs and BorderProtection and U.S. Citizenship and ImmigrationServices.“If you’re going to focus on immigrationand in particular removal, that comes withinthe auspices of the agency ICE, and it reallydoes need leadership,” said Sarah Saldaña,who was the last ICE director to beconfirmed by the Senate and served underObama. “It’s wonderful to have a borderczar, but it doesn’t cover everything that theagency does.”Saldaña emphasized that ICE is the agencywith the jurisdiction by law to workon deportations and removals. Last week,Trump nominated Caleb Vitello, the currentassistant director of the Office of Firearmsand Tactical Programs within ICE, to leadthe whole branch. He must still be confirmedby the Senate.“It is difficult to say you’re focusing on immigrationif you don’t even have a directorof the agency,” Saldaña said.HOMAN HAS WARNED UNDOCUMENTEDIMMIGRANTS TO ‘START PACKING’Homan spoke about how such deportationswould work in an interview on FoxSunday Morning Futures hours before hisappointment was announced, saying itwould be a “well-targeted, planned operation,conducted by the men of ICE.”“When we go out there we’re gonna knowwho we’re looking for, we most likely knowwhere they’re going to be and it’s gonnabe done in a humane manner,” Homansaid, adding that it will focus on the “publicsafety threats and the national securitythreats first.”But those groups won’t be the only targets,Homan told CBS’ 60 Minutes lastmonth. He said he would restart workplaceenforcement after the Biden administrationmoved away from the controversial practiceof mass worksite immigration raids in92 The BLUES - JANUARY ‘25

favor of pursuing “exploitative employers.”He also said in that interview that “familiescan be deported together,” suggestingchildren who are U.S. citizens but with undocumentedparents would have to go withthem.Months earlier, speaking onstage at theRepublican National Convention, Homansaid Trump would designate Mexican cartelsa “terrorist organization” for their rolein getting fentanyl over the border, warning,“He’s gonna wipe you off the face ofthe Earth.”He also addressed undocumented immigrantsat large, whom he said Biden releasedinto the country against federal law.“You better start packing now,” he said,as attendees waving pro-deportation signscheered. “’Cause you’re going home.”The BLUES -- JANUARY ‘25 93