(NewsNation) — Border czar Tom Homan on Wednesday clarified comments he made earlier this week that some interpreted as a signal he may not obey a court order barring the government from deporting migrants under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.
Homan earlier this week responded to U.S. District Judge James Boasberg’s directive that temporarily blocks authorities from summarily deporting accused members of Tren de Aragua and MS-13 under the centuries-old law.
“They’re not gonna stop us. We made a promise to the American people, President Trump has made a promise to the American people,” he told “Fox & Friends.” “I don’t care what the judges think, I don’t care what the left thinks, we’re coming.”
Accused Tren de Aragua, MS-13 gang members get harsh welcome in El Salvador
Appearing on “CUOMO” on Wednesday, Homan said agents under his direction will indeed continue deportation flights and making arrests. But he said they’ll do it under other means, such as Title 8 under immigration law or “another way,” as parties fight in court over the appropriateness of using the Alien Enemies Act.
“We’ll let DOJ and the courts fight this out, and we’ll see where we go from there,” Homan said, referring to the Department of Justice. “We’re going to keep targeting the worst of the worst.”
Host Chris Cuomo asked, “What I’m saying is this: Tom Homan respects the law and respects judges. True or false?”
“Of course, absolutely,” Homan replied. “I’ve been in law enforcement since 1983, for God’s sakes. Yes.”
The Trump administration over the weekend deported more than 250 alleged gang members and sent them to El Salvador, which agreed to house them in a high-security prison for $6 million for at least a year. Boasberg has asked the Justice Department to explain how that occurred in contradiction of his order. The White House has said the planes carrying the migrants were over international waters at the time.
Family members of some of the Venezuelan deportees say their relatives were not members of Tren de Aragua, or TdA. The Trump administration has not identified the passengers.
“On my way to the White House this morning, I made a phone call to people that are over this operation,” Homan told Cuomo. “I asked them a simple question: ‘Were mistakes made or not? Are we sure that every Venezuelan on that flight was a member of TdA?’
“I was told, without any doubt, every one has been verified as a member of TdA.”
Trump sought to use the Alien Enemies Act, designed to be used in the event of war or an invasion of the U.S., against Tren de Aragua, which has been deemed a terrorist organization by the State Department.
