Transcript: Border czar Tom Homan on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," April 27, 2025

The following is the transcript of an interview with border czar Tom Homan that aired on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on April 27, 2025.

MARGARET BRENNAN: We're joined now by President Trump's border czar, Tom Homan. Good morning to you, sir.

TOM HOMAN: Good morning.

MARGARET BRENNAN: We see in our polling some support for the President's policies, here. We know that overall border crossings are at the lowest monthly level we have seen, just over 7000 migrants came across in March and were apprehended, but given the fact that you're still waiting on Congress to give you funding, do you think that's going to handicap your ability to carry out these policies?

TOM HOMAN: Well, look, I think we've been very successful, and we got we got the most secure border in the history of this nation, and President Trump was able to accomplish that in seven weeks. That's something that Joe Biden didn't- wouldn't do in four years. But yeah, the more money we have, the more we can do. The border's more secure it's ever been in the history of this nation. But we need more funding for interior operations- ICE operations, to arrest those public safety threats, national security threats and others from the United States. Again, the numbers about three times higher than they were during the Biden administration, as far as ICE arrests in the interior, but with more money we can do more.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, let's talk about what's happening on the interior. On Friday, there were three American citizen children- born here, who were deported along with their mothers from Louisiana down to Honduras, and according to advocates, one of them is a four year old child with stage four cancer- a rare form of metastatic cancer, who was sent back to Honduras without getting to talk to a doctor and without medication. I understand this child's mother entered this country illegally, but isn't there some basis for compassionate consideration here that should have allowed for more consultation or treatment.

TOM HOMAN: Well, it certainly is- discretion- I'm not aware of specific case, but no U.S. citizen child was deported. Deported means you got to be ordered reported by an immigration judge. We don't deport U.S. citizens--

MARGARET BRENNAN: The mother was deported along with the children.

TOM HOMAN: These children were- children aren't deported. The mother chose to take the children with her when you enter the country legally, and you know you're here illegally, and you choose to have a U.S. citizen child that's on you. That's not on this administration. If you choose to put your family in that position, that's on them. But having a U.S. citizen child after you enter this country illegally. It's not a get out of jail free card. It doesn't make me- make you immune from our laws. If that's the message we sent the entire world, women are gonna keep putting themselves at risk and come to this country. We send a message. You can enter country illegally, which is a crime. That's okay. You can have due process, great taxpayer expense. Get ordered removed. That's okay. Don't leave. But have a U.S. citizen child and you're immune from removal? That's not the way it works.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So you don't think there should be compassionate consideration for a four year old child undergoing treatment for cancer?

TOM HOMAN: I didn't say that--

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well that was the question.

TOM HOMAN: I said the ICE officers do have discretion. ICE officers do have discretion. I'm not familiar with the specific case. I don't know what facts around this case. I've just made aware of this when you- when you mentioned this morning. I was not aware of that case.

MARGARET BRENNAN: On Friday, a federal judge who was appointed by President Trump, said a two year old American citizen child had been sent to Honduras with the mother who was deported. But the judge said, quote, there was no meaningful process. So again, this is another similar situation and dynamic. Shouldn't there be special care when these deportation cases involve small, American born children?

TOM HOMAN: First of all, I disagree with the judge. It was due process. That female had due process at great taxpayer expense, and was ordered by an immigration judge after those hearings, so she had due process. Again, this is parenting 101. You can decide to take that child with you, or you can decide to leave a child here with a relative or another spouse. Having a U.S. citizen child doesn't make you immune from our laws of the country. American families get separated every day by law enforcement. Thousands of times a day, when a parent gets put in jail, the child can't go with them. These- if you're an illegal alien, come to this country and you decide to have your assistant child that's on you. You put yourself in that position.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, when it came to this particular case- you just pointed out that that they could have made arrangements. The father tried, actually, to make arrangements as we understand it, through our reporting, but he and the mother, who were separated- since she was in detention after showing up for her appointment, was only allowed a very brief phone call. The father tried to petition to get the child handed over to an American citizen relative. So the mother had to make this decision and took the child with her. It just seems like there could be some more time frame here around due process allowed. That's what the judge is saying- is saying there should have been more of a process here.

TOM HOMAN: There was due process, the two year baby- the two year old baby was left with the mother because the mother signed the document requesting her two year old baby go with her. That's the parents' decision. I don't- you know, I don't think the judge knows specifics of this case, two year old went with a mom. The mom signed the paper saying, I want my two year old to go with me. That's a- that's a parent's decision. It's not a government decision, it's a parent's decision.

MARGARET BRENNAN: The father wrote a note. Anyhow, we have to leave it there, director, thank you for your time today. We'll be right back.