Balancing immigration enforcement with local politics has become one of the most sensitive challenges facing the Trump administration’s new border czar. Tom Homan is expected to continue pushing forward with the president’s aggressive deportation strategy while at the same time attempting to ease tensions with Minnesota’s Democratic leaders, many of whom have accused federal agents of behaving like an occupying force in their state.

Janet Napolitano, who served as secretary of homeland security under President Barack Obama and worked alongside Homan during that period, described him as a seasoned government professional. Now a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, she said that his temperament could help lower the political temperature, but only if the White House allows him enough flexibility to change course when necessary.

Homan’s career began in local law enforcement in upstate New York before he moved into federal immigration work, where he rose steadily through the ranks. During Trump’s first term, he briefly led Immigration and Customs Enforcement as acting director, gaining national visibility for his hardline stance on illegal immigration.

After leaving government, he became a frequent commentator on Fox News, sharply criticizing Democratic policies. He also launched a consulting firm and contributed to Project 2025, a conservative policy agenda. Today, he serves as Trump’s top immigration official, reporting directly to the president.

He has often clashed with leaders of major U.S. cities that have adopted sanctuary policies, arguing that their reluctance to cooperate with federal agents hampers law enforcement and public safety. White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson defended him as a dedicated law enforcement officer and warned that critics would be mistaken if they believed his appointment signaled weakness.

Homan declined requests for an interview, and the White House has not made him available to the press.

According to one homeland security official who spoke anonymously, federal immigration operations have already shifted toward focusing primarily on individuals considered criminal or public safety threats. This marks a departure from earlier tactics under previous leadership, when agents were known for conducting broad, sometimes random enforcement sweeps.

The same official said that border agents are now working more closely with ICE rather than operating separately. A Trump administration representative added that Homan has reorganized command structures in Minnesota to create clearer lines of authority.

Cooperation with federal authorities varies widely across the state. Some county jails work openly with ICE, while others, including Hennepin County, home to Minneapolis, refuse to assist as a matter of policy. Still, state corrections officials have emphasized that prisoners are transferred to federal custody once they complete their sentences.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has said his city works with federal agencies on public safety but questioned why immigration status has become such a divisive focus. He also raised concerns that enforcement actions have disproportionately targeted people of color.

Critics of Homan point to past controversies, including reports that ICE operations under his leadership swept up refugees and immigrants with no criminal records and clashed with protesters. They also note that two U.S. citizens were killed in confrontations with immigration agents in recent weeks.

During Trump’s first administration, Homan supported policies that resulted in families being separated at the southern border, a decision that sparked widespread condemnation. He was also embroiled in a federal investigation last year after being secretly recorded by the FBI allegedly accepting cash in exchange for assistance with government contracts. He denied wrongdoing, and the inquiry was later dropped after Trump returned to office, with the White House calling it politically motivated.

Despite the criticism, Homan has long argued that ICE should prioritize dangerous criminals rather than low-level immigration violations. In congressional testimony in 2013, he said that early in his career he often arrested people solely for being in the country illegally, but later came to believe that resources should be focused on serious offenders.

He recalled seeing convicted predators released from prison because ICE lacked a presence in local jails, reinforcing his belief that tighter coordination with state and local detention centers was essential for community safety.

Beginning in 2009, Homan helped develop a system that connected ICE more directly with county jails nationwide, allowing agents to identify and detain noncitizens efficiently after they finished serving criminal sentences. Supporters describe this approach as both practical and secure.

However, many cities and states have resisted such partnerships, arguing that they erode trust between immigrant communities and local police, making residents less willing to report crimes or cooperate with investigations.

In a recent Fox News appearance, Homan reiterated that the administration remains committed to large-scale deportations, though he insisted that enforcement would be prioritized against criminals and public safety threats. He made clear that anyone living in the U.S. without legal status remains a potential target under federal law.

As Homan takes on his new role, he faces the difficult task of advancing Trump’s tough immigration agenda while managing growing political resistance in places like Minnesota, where the battle over federal power and local autonomy shows no sign of easing.