President Donald Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, was boycotted by Democrat lawmakers at the Arizona legislature within seconds of speaking about the administration’s mass deportation program.
President Donald Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, received a warm welcome from the Republican legislature in Arizona – while Democrats walked out of the special joint session in protest within seconds of his 30-minute speech.
“I think this is just another reason why it just shows again that the Democrats are totally out of touch with Americans,” Arizona Senate President Warren Peterson told Fox News Digital in an interview. “We expanded our majorities because immigration is a top issue, especially here in Arizona as a border state. I guess what’s surprising is that they keep doubling down on issues that they’re completely losing on.”
State Democrats walked out while holding pieces of paper with the names of people deported under the Trump administration’s mass deportation program, as Homan appeared unfazed, saying, “I love it. Thank you for making my day. I love haters, they make my day every day.”
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“We won because of the Hispanic male voting Republican, and the Democrats are completely out with their base on this issue,” Petersen said. “So, they do have some people that are extreme, that are opposed to border security. But what I am finding is that the majority of Hispanics want Arizona to be safe and they want the borders to be secure.”
Instead of attending Homan’s speech, several Democrats gathered outside the state Capitol to rally and denounce the administration’s immigration policies, with Rep. Anna Abeytia reportedly in tears as she spoke about the growing “rise of anti-immigration sentiment” in her community.
State Sen. Catherine Miranda, a Democrat, called it “disturbing” that Republicans would give “a platform to someone who has caused so much harm in our community.”
Miranda claimed Homan is not just responsible for deporting people, but for “kidnappings, disappearances and the deportation of individuals for reasons as unjust as having tattoos, protesting or being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“Right now, they might only be going after the right to due process for immigrants, but soon they will be coming for you or your loved one’s due rights processes as well,” Miranda said in a statement.
State Rep. Betty Villegas, another Democrat, called ICE “cruel” under Homan’s leadership, “even by Trump-era standards.”
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Homan was invited by Arizona Senate and House Republicans to talk about the status of illegal border crossings and missing migrant children. At the end of his speech, he signaled his support for state measure Proposition 314, the Secure the Border Act, passed by Arizona voters in November.
“Congratulations on your immigration legislation. I know it’s being litigated, but you will win,” Homan said.
Homan also said the administration is “not going to apologize” for deporting illegal immigrants through the Alien Enemies Act.
“They came here to unsettle this country, to cause harm,” he said. “We will not apologize for sending two planeloads of terrorists out of this country.”
The Trump administration initiated deportation flights targeting alleged members of the Venezuelan criminal gang Tren de Aragua, invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. Despite a federal judge’s order to ground the planes, the administration went ahead, arguing the flights were already en route and beyond U.S. airspace when the injunction was issued.
The Supreme Court later ruled that the administration could continue deportations under the Alien Enemies Act but said deportees must be notified and allowed to challenge their removal.
