President Donald Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, has made it clear that having U.S.-born children does not grant undocumented immigrants automatic immunity from deportation. In a recent statement, Homan emphasized that while the presence of citizen children may be considered during immigration proceedings, it does not override violations of immigration law.
During an interview on CBS News’ Face the Nation, Tom Homan reiterated that having a U.S. citizen child does not make undocumented immigrants "immune from our laws."
“Having a U.S. citizen child after you enter this country illegally is not a get-out-of-jail-free card,” he said. “American families get separated every day by law enforcement.”
This comes after lawyers accused the Trump administration of violating the law by deporting a 2-year-old U.S. citizen without “meaningful process.” The child was deported along with her sister and mother, who was living in the United States illegally. Tom Homan defended the court’s decision, placing responsibility on the parents for putting their children in that situation. He called it “parenting 101,” arguing that the mother chose to take the child with her during deportation, even though she could have left the child with a relative or another legal guardian.
“You can decide to take that child with you, or you can decide to leave a child here with a relative or another spouse,” Homan said.
CBS News host Margaret Brennan pointed out that the father, who had filed a petition, tried to make arrangements to secure custody of the child but was only granted a brief phone call. Homan pushed back against this claim during the exchange.
“That’s a parent’s decision. It’s not a government decision. It’s a parent’s decision,” Homan argued.
Homan made the case that parents who choose to enter or remain in the United States illegally knowingly put their families in a vulnerable legal position. Once deportation proceedings begin, he said, those parents are faced with a decision: either leave their U.S. citizen children with relatives or take them along when they are deported. While critics argue that deportations tear families apart, they often overlook the fact that these situations begin with an illegal act—either entering the U.S. unlawfully or overstaying a visa.