‘That’s News Right There!’: Tom Homan’s Announcement Stuns Fox Anchor

Trump administration Border Czar Tom Homan firmly rejected Democrats’ latest immigration-related alarmism, declaring that federal authorities have “no plan” to conduct enforcement sweeps at polling places during the November midterm elections.

Homan addressed the controversy during an appearance on Fox News, where anchor Jacqui Heinrich raised claims that immigration agents could be deployed around voting locations.

“The Sunday Briefing” host referenced allegations “that ICE is going to be raiding polling places,” before asking, “Is there any truth to that?”

Homan said he was unaware of any such proposal.

“Look, I have not seen any operational plans or any discussions on any immigration enforcement operation at polling places,” Homan said.

He then accused the administration’s critics of promoting another baseless narrative intended to discredit Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“This is on another fear tactic, another attack on ICE and this administration. I mean, they don’t want ICE near the polling places, they don’t want to vote for voter ID, they don’t want observers. What have they got to hide to begin with, right? There is no plan for enforcement action at polling places…it’s just another attempt to smear ICE,” Homan added.

“So look, everybody wants fair elections,” Homan continued.

The border czar said President Donald Trump’s administration supports secure elections while making clear that ICE is not preparing to search voting locations for illegal immigrants.

“Elections need to have some integrity. So, the bottom line is, you know, the Trump administration, President Trump, wants fair elections. But I want to put that to bed. There is no plan to sweep polling places looking for illegal aliens,” Homan declared.

Heinrich immediately recognized the significance of the answer.

“That’s news right there,” Heinrich said.

The Fox News anchor noted that Homan’s statement could directly affect a lawsuit supported by Latino civil-rights organizations. Those groups have cited a Civil War-era law restricting the deployment of troops or armed personnel at election sites.

“And that would go directly to the heart of this lawsuit as well. That these Latino civil rights groups have also tacked on to, they’re citing this Civil War-era law that prohibits bringing troops to places, or armed men — that’s the language — to places where elections are held. There will be people who even hear your answer there and say, ‘Well, just the threat of it, the idea of it, is enough to keep people in fear. Can can you say whether there’s been an order for…enforcement to stay away from those locations?” Heinrich asked.

Homan replied that serious public-safety or national-security threats cannot create immunity from lawful arrest merely by entering a particular location.

“Look, there is no sense of location policy. There is no sanctuary for a significant public safety threat or national security threat,” Homan said.

“We’ll go where we’ve got to go to apprehend these people. But ICE are professionals and try to do things in a professional manner. Now, we’re arresting people that may have went to church and may went to the hospital. We don’t do operations at the locations. If you a criminal alien, you’re a national security threat, there’s no sanctuary,” Homan declared.

He reinforced the distinction between deliberately staging operations at sensitive locations and arresting dangerous individuals who may have previously visited them.

Homan added, “But look at the past two years, not one instance of ICE operating at a sensitive location, to include polling places.”

The exchange comes as Homan remains focused on securing the southern border and expanding immigration enforcement inside the United States.

Federal statistics indicate that illegal crossings remained near historic lows throughout the summer, even as ICE arrests increased substantially across the country.

Customs and Border Protection recorded 9,295 Border Patrol apprehensions along the southwest border in July, a 6% decrease from June.

That continued the sharp decline from the record levels recorded between 2021 and 2024.

CBP also reported that July represented the 15th consecutive month in which Border Patrol released no apprehended migrants into the United States.

According to the agency, southwest-border apprehensions were 94% below the monthly average during the Biden administration.

At the same time, interior immigration enforcement accelerated. Preliminary federal data reviewed by Reuters showed that ICE arrests approached 51,000 in August, reportedly setting a third consecutive monthly record.

Expanded data sharing, stronger cooperation with local police agencies and improved technology have helped immigration officers locate and arrest more removable aliens nationwide.

The contrast is clear: Border apprehensions remain extraordinarily low because illegal entry has been sharply curtailed, while interior arrests continue rising as the Trump administration enforces immigration laws neglected during the previous administration.

Formal deportations remain near 1,200 per day—a substantial figure, though still below the rapidly increasing pace of arrests.

Homan’s message regarding the midterms was nevertheless unequivocal. ICE will continue pursuing criminal aliens and national-security threats, but there is no federal plan to raid polling places or conduct election-day sweeps.