In a special joint session of the Arizona legislature on April 8, 2025, former Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and current Trump Administration Border Czar Tom Homan addressed the Arizona Legislature. Homan stated that President Trump assigned him three primary tasks: securing the border, overseeing the largest deportation efforts in the country’s history, and locating missing children.

His remarks, highlighting the administration’s aggressive border enforcement measures, prompted a walkout by Democratic lawmakers holding small signs that were not initially readable. It was later disclosed that the Democrats were protesting what they described as “violations of due process.”

Democrats walk out of legislative session as Border Czar Tom Homan speaks (Video by Christy Kelly for Arizona Globe)

As the Democrats exited, Homan responded with a smile, saying, “I love it. Thank you for making my day. I love haters, they make my day every day.”  He continued without pause, stating, “Let’s talk about the truth that is happening at the border.” Homan criticized the previous administration, asserting that it created the most significant immigration crisis in history. He claimed, “We went from the most secure border in my lifetime to unprecedented illegal immigration. But now we have President Trump, who happens to be the greatest president of my lifetime.”

He further stated that “in a matter of weeks, illegal border crossings are down 94%.” Homan emphasized, “President Trump did it in five weeks, whereas President Biden didn’t, wouldn’t, or would not attempt to do it in four years.” He argued that this demonstrates that no new laws from Congress were necessary, concluding, “We just needed a new President, and we got it.”

Homan asserted, “This was done on purpose, by design.” He posed several rhetorical questions: “When you have 94% fewer people coming, how many women aren’t being raped by the cartels? How many children aren’t dying on the border every day? How many pounds of fentanyl aren’t coming across the border, killing Americans? How many people on the terrorist watchlist aren’t getting into the country to kill Americans?”

Homan continued, stating, “In the first two months under Joe Biden, they released 184,000 illegal aliens. Same time for President Trump—nine.” He declared, “Catch and release is over.”

“They like to say how inhumane Trump’s policies are, that he’s a racist, I’m a racist,” Homan added, with a shrug. “Yeah, whatever.”

“The fact is, we are saving lives every day,” he continued. Under Biden: “Four thousand aliens died. A quarter million Americans died from fentanyl. A 600% increase in sex trafficking of women and children. Four hundred people on the terrorist watchlist were let into our country.”

Throughout his speech, Homan referred to the Democrats who had walked out. Homan remarked, “If they saw what I saw in my 40 years, if they saw what the border sheriffs see every day on the border, they’d understand, but they’re ignorant. They don’t want to learn.”

“It’s not okay to be  in this country illegally, and people hate on me for that,” Homan declared. “If you’re in this country illegally, you should be looking over your shoulder. It’s not okay to enter this country illegally — it’s a crime.”

Doubling down on his unapologetic tone, he further contended: “We will not apologize for sending two plane loads of terrorists out of this country. I cannot believe any judge will order anybody bringing those two plane loads of terrorists back to this country. President Trump put America first. Of course we’re litigating that case. We just had a big win on that yesterday.”

Homan also highlighted the stark contrast he claimed exists between his border enforcement efforts and the policies of the Biden Administration. “Under the Biden administration, half of the men and children were smuggled into this country—taken out of the hands of their families and given to a criminal cartel,” he said. “And we’re the bad guys?”

Calling for increased cooperation from local law enforcement, Homan emphasized the need to hold so-called “sanctuary cities” accountable. “Sanctuary cities are slowing us down,” he stated, underscoring his commitment to enforcing immigration laws without exceptions. Homan said there are a higher number of “collaterals” because sanctuary cities are releasing criminal illegals. Homan said, “That means, I have to send a whole team and when we find him he’s with others who are here illegally, who may not be criminals.”  He explained, “Ice is going to arrest them because that’s their job and the oath they took and that’s the laws of this nation.”

“What we want is access to the jails.” He pointed to Sheriff Joe Arpaio and said, “We had no problem when that man was in office.” In fact, “he would call us up if there was someone we missed.”

About ten sheriffs and law enforcement officers from around Arizona were seated in the gallery. Noticeably absent was Maricopa County Sheriff Jerry Sheridan. The Globe contacted Sheridan, who said, “I am in Yosemite for a workshop.” The Globe previously wrote about Sheridan’s willingness to assist the Trump administration by allowing them into the jails.

Again, Homan pointed to the door and said, “All these people that walked out, did they speak up about the fact that 300,000 kids can’t be found?” He said, “Do all these people carrying signs care? Most of the kids are in forced labor or trafficked.”

Concluding his address with a final, stern remark, Homan vowed, “I will not rest if every member of TDA and MS-13 is eradicated from this country. Then I’ll take a day off. But until then, hate on me all you want. I know I got a lot of haters in this room, but I don’t give a s%*t. We’re gonna get this job done with no apologies.”