White House border czar Tom Homan told Democrats on Fox News that there would be more “bloodshed” unless they “shut their mouth,” days after ICE agents fatally shot two unarmed immigrants in Texas and Maine.
The remarks came after agents killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston on July 7 and Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in Biddeford, Maine, on July 13.
Highlights
- Tom Homan blamed Democrats for escalating tensions around ICE and warned of more “bloodshed.”
- ICE agents killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Texas and Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in Maine within one week.
- DHS has acknowledged that neither man was the target of the ICE operations that led to their deaths.
- Trump reversed a DHS pause on immigration-related traffic stops and ordered ICE to keep using them.
- Critics accused the administration of blaming political opponents instead of addressing the shootings.
The Department of Homeland Security has acknowledged, in statements issued in the days following each shooting, that neither man was the target of the operations. Separately, President Donald Trump reversed a one-day DHS pause on immigration-related traffic stops on Wednesday, ordering agents to keep using what he called one of ICE’s most important tools.
Homan blamed Democrats as DHS faced questions over two fatal ICE shootings in one week
Image credits: Getty Images
Homan made the comments on The Ingraham Angle during an interview with Laura Ingraham. He argued that Democratic criticism of ICE encourages people to resist immigration agents.
Homan said he had warned before that heated language about ICE could lead to violence.
The comments landed amid intense scrutiny of two deadly encounters involving ICE agents. In Houston, a source with preliminary details said an agent killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo while he was on his way to work, even though he was not the target of the immigration operation.
In Maine, DHS said an ICE officer fired his weapon “fearing for public safety” as Durán Guerrero, in a vehicle, “attempted to flee the scene.” DHS issued that first official statement nearly 12 hours after the shooting.
The deaths sparked protests and wider calls for answers. On Tuesday, DHS sent new guidance to ICE officers, pausing immigration-related traffic stops after the Maine and Texas shootings. Trump then overturned that order on Truth Social.
“They are blaming the opposition for people being killed by their police”
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin also pointed to Democrats, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, accusing them of teaching constituents to “openly defy” ICE.
Critics rejected that framing and accused the administration of shifting blame away from the agents and agencies involved in the shootings.
Image credits: Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia Commons
Alex Nowrasteh of the Cato Institute told Common Dreams, “They are blaming the opposition for people being killed by their police.”
USA Today columnist Chris Brennan, also cited by Common Dreams, said Homan was “threaten[ing] more governmental violence…” The reaction spread quickly across social media and political forums.
On a Democratic Underground thread, one commenter wrote, “Hey, Homan, how about YOU shut YOUR mouth!!” Another wrote, “The ‘law’ he wants enforced is a misdemeanor.”
Joe.My.God. published a sharply worded response to Homan’s comments: “We will not ‘shut our mouths’ while you continue to kill innocent people in our communities.”