Border Czar Homan Schools CNN’s Collins Over MS-13 Deportee

Former ICE Director and border czar Tom Homan got into a heated exchange with CNN anchor Kaitlin Collins over the deportation of Kilmer Abrego Garcia, a confirmed MS-13 gang member who was removed from the U.S. and is currently in custody in El Salvador.

During the segment, Collins pointed to a recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that instructed the Trump administration to “facilitate” Abrego Garcia’s return. She also cited an older 2019 immigration court decision that had temporarily allowed him to remain in the U.S., implying that the administration erred in its decision to deport him.

Homan, however, was not swayed by either point.

“I’ve seen some people look at this and say they’re worried that the stance of this administration when it comes to this is if someone is deported by accident, they have no responsibility for them once they are in the custody of a foreign government. What would you say to that?” Collins asked during the tense discussion.

In response, Homan laid out the facts, stating that Abrego Garcia was unlawfully present in the United States, had been flagged by two immigration judges, and was confirmed by El Salvador as a member of the MS-13 gang — which President Trump has officially labeled a terrorist group.

“Well, he’s in the custody of El Salvador; he’s an El Salvadoran national,” Homan said firmly. “El Salvador has him in custody…The El Salvadoran president has made it clear he’s not going to release him. The DOJ is going to fight this out…The courts will decide what the next steps will be.”

Despite Homan’s explanation, Collins again referenced the 2019 ruling, neglecting to acknowledge the significant developments that have taken place since — such as the terrorist designation and Abrego Garcia’s criminal history.

“Even though it was an immigration judge that said the one place he can’t go is El Salvador, he could have been deported anywhere else –” Collins began, before Homan interrupted.

“We keep going back and back…That was years ago, the country was different,” he shot back.

“That gang no longer exists in El Salvador,” he continued, referencing the now-dismantled MS-13 rival gang that factored into the original 2019 court decision.

“He has been designated a terrorist since that time,” Homan added. “Two different federal judges said he’s an MS-13 member. A police department said he’s an MS-13 member. ICE data shows he’s an MS-13 member. El Salvador said he’s an MS-13 member.”

“As you know, MS-13 has been designated a terrorist organization. The facts of the case have changed since that first decision,” Homan concluded.

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Meanwhile, a federal appeals court on Thursday turned down an emergency motion from the Trump administration to halt a lower court’s order mandating that Abrego Garcia be brought back to the United States.

The Justice Department had requested that the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals reverse the judge’s directive, but the panel refused.

The three judges presiding over the case included Judge Harvie Wilkinson, appointed by President Reagan; Judge Robert King, a Clinton appointee; and Judge Stephanie Thacker, nominated by President Obama. According to Fox News, Wilkinson repeatedly described Abrego Garcia as a “resident” in his opinion — despite the fact that Abrego Garcia does not hold lawful residency in the U.S.

“The government is asserting a right to stash away residents of this country in foreign prisons without the semblance of due process that is the foundation of our constitutional order,” Wilkinson wrote. “This should be shocking not only to judges, but to the intuitive sense of liberty that Americans far removed from courthouses still hold dear.”