Who Is Tom Homan, President Trump’s “Border Tsar”?

Tom Homan is a longtime U.S. immigration official who currently serves as President Donald Trump’s “border tsar,” an informal White House role overseeing immigration enforcement across multiple federal agencies.

Trump recently deployed Homan to Minneapolis to act as the administration’s main point of contact on the ground following heightened scrutiny of immigration operations in the city.

Homan, 64, began his career in law enforcement as a police officer before joining the U.S. Border Patrol in 1984. He later rose through the ranks of federal immigration enforcement, including the former Immigration and Naturalization Service and, later, Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Under the Obama administration, Homan led ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations unit, giving him extensive experience with interior immigration enforcement far from the U.S. border.

Although the title “border tsar” is not an official, Senate-confirmed position, it refers to a senior policy role directly appointed by the president to coordinate immigration strategy across agencies.

In Trump’s second term, Homan has been a vocal defender of the administration’s deportation goals, emphasizing a focus on public safety and enforcement of existing immigration laws.

The shift in leadership in Minneapolis follows the expected departure of Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino and is not expected to signal a change in overall policy, but rather a change in approach and coordination.