President Trump's Border Czar Tom Homan is proposing a major expansion of I-9 employment verification inspections that would dramatically increase worksite enforcement while freeing federal agents to focus on criminal investigations.
In the latest of the Center for Immigration Studies' Immigration Newsmakers series, Executive Director Mark Krikorian sits down with Border Czar Tom Homan to discuss the recent pause in traffic stops, the administration's enforcement priorities, recent record-setting ICE arrests, sanctuary jurisdictions, and the future of mass deportations.
A highlight of the conversation is Homan's proposal to dramatically expand I-9 inspections by creating a centralized operation staffed by contractors to conduct large-scale audits. Rather than relying exclusively on armed Homeland Security Investigations agents to review employment records, Homan argues that contractors could identify criminal and administrative violations and refer those cases to investigators — freeing agents to focus on criminal investigations and enforcement operations.
During the discussion, Homan also addresses:
- The role of worksite enforcement in protecting American workers and combating labor trafficking.
- Why employers who knowingly violate immigration law should face criminal prosecution.
- The administration's record levels of ICE arrests and deportations.
- The impact of sanctuary policies on officer safety and immigration enforcement.
- Plans to increase detention capacity and accelerate removals.
- The outlook for achieving President Trump's mass deportation agenda.
Homan emphasizes that worksite enforcement is about more than arresting illegal workers — it's about dismantling the illegal employment networks that encourage unlawful immigration and disadvantage law-abiding businesses.
The conversation also explores ongoing litigation affecting immigration enforcement, cooperation among federal agencies, and Homan's assessment of the administration's progress during its first year.