You've probably seen the headlines lately or caught a clip of him on cable news. Tom Homan. The name usually comes with a lot of noise. Since early 2025, people have been asking one very specific question: is Tom Homan still the border czar?
The short answer is yes. He is very much in the thick of it.
But the "czar" title is kinda misleading if you're looking for it on an official government org chart. It's not a cabinet position like the Secretary of Homeland Security. It's a high-level White House role that basically gives him the keys to the kingdom when it comes to immigration enforcement. He isn't just sitting in an office; he’s essentially the architect of the current administration’s "Operation Aura" and the massive deportation push we’ve been seeing throughout 2025 and into early 2026.
Honestly, Homan has been the face of this policy since before he even officially took the job.
Why the "Border Czar" Title Still Sticks to Tom Homan
When Donald Trump tapped Homan for the role back in late 2024, he didn't mince words. He called him the "Border Czar" in a Truth Social post and said Homan would be in charge of everything from the southern and northern borders to maritime and aviation security.
Fast forward to today, January 15, 2026, and that hasn't changed.
Homan’s position is officially housed within the White House. This is a strategic move. Because the "border czar" isn't a Senate-confirmed position, he didn't have to go through the grueling confirmation hearings that someone like the DHS Secretary does. It allowed him to hit the ground running the second the inauguration ended.
If you've watched his recent interviews, like the one on The Ingraham Angle in late 2025, he sounds less like a bureaucrat and more like a commander. He’s been bragging about the numbers—claiming over 2.2 million people have already left the country, either through formal removals or what he calls "self-deportations" driven by fear of enforcement.
What is he actually doing day-to-day?
It’s not just about the border fence. Homan’s remit is huge. He's overseeing:
- The resumption of large-scale workplace raids (worksite enforcement).
- Coordination between ICE, CBP, and the Department of Justice.
- The controversial use of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.
- Managing the logistics of what he promises is the "largest deportation operation in history."
He’s even recently claimed that by mid-January 2026—basically right now—ICE would have 10,000 new agents on duty. That’s a massive surge if the numbers hold up.
The Friction and the Controversies
It hasn't been smooth sailing, though. You can't talk about Homan without mentioning the legal firestorms. Just a few months ago, in March 2025, there was a major standoff when the administration deported two planeloads of people to El Salvador, allegedly defying a court order.
Homan’s response? He basically told the media he didn't care what the judges thought because the planes were already in international airspace. That’s the kind of "shoot first, ask questions later" vibe that makes him a hero to some and a villain to others.
There was also that weird bit of news about a federal bribery investigation. Reports surfaced claiming he was caught on an FBI recording accepting a bag of cash from undercover agents posing as contractors. He’s denied it, and so far, it hasn't knocked him out of his "czar" seat, but it’s definitely a cloud hanging over the White House.
A Career Built on This
Homan isn't some political newcomer. He started as a Border Patrol agent in the 80s. He worked his way up and even got an award from the Obama administration back in 2015 for his work in enforcement and removal.
The guy literally wrote the book (or at least the memo) on "zero tolerance" and family separations during the first Trump term. He’s often called the "intellectual father" of that policy. So, when people ask if he’s still the border czar, they aren't just asking about a job title; they’re asking if that specific, hardline philosophy is still the driving force of U.S. policy.
The answer is a resounding yes.
Is Tom Homan Still the Border Czar in 2026?
If you’re looking for a formal resignation or a shift in power, you won’t find one. As of January 2026, Tom Homan remains the primary authority on immigration enforcement. He's currently pushing for a tripling of the Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) workforce.
He’s also been very vocal about "sanctuary cities," essentially telling local leaders that if they don't help, ICE will just go in and do it anyway. It’s a high-stakes game of chicken between the federal government and cities like New York and Chicago.
What to watch for next
The next few months are going to be a litmus test for Homan’s "czar" status. Keep an eye on:
- The 10,000 New Agents: If these agents actually hit the streets this month, it confirms Homan’s massive influence over the budget and DHS operations.
- Court Battles: More defiance of judicial stays could lead to a constitutional crisis that even a "czar" might not survive.
- The Bribery Probe: If the FBI investigation gains more steam, it could be the only thing that actually forces him out.
To wrap this up, Tom Homan is still very much the Border Czar. He is the one calling the shots on deportations, the one defending ICE on the evening news, and the one most likely to be at the center of the next big immigration controversy.
👉 See also: Overcrowding in Prisons US: What Most People Get Wrong
If you're following these developments, the most important thing to do is monitor the official ICE ERO (Enforcement and Removal Operations) reports and federal court filings in the Fifth and Ninth Circuits. These legal battlegrounds are where the "czar's" actual power is being tested every single day. Staying informed on specific policy shifts like "Operation Aura" will give you a much clearer picture than the political talking points on either side.