Tom Homan, the former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), faced a protest during his speech at the Turning Point USA Student Action Summit in Tampa, Florida, on Saturday. Homan was there to defend ICE and the immigration policies of former President Donald Trump when a protester interrupted him.
The protester held a large photo of Homan, altered to show gang signs on his knuckles, and shouted a provocative question: “Are you an MS-13 member?” Homan quickly responded, inviting the protester to come up and hand him the picture. He then led the audience in chanting “USA, USA” as security escorted the protester out of the venue.
As the protester was removed, Homan continued to criticize him, saying, “This guy ain’t got the balls to be an ICE officer. He hasn’t got the balls to be a Border Patrol agent. This guy lives in his mother’s basement.” He also made a jab about the protester’s appearance, saying he was surprised he didn’t have “purple hair and a nose ring.” Homan even challenged the protester to meet him off stage in a little over 13 minutes, adding, “I guarantee you he sits down to pee.”
Outside the event, Homan’s speech was met with protests from anti-ICE activists. From the podium, he addressed them directly, saying, “You want some? Come get some.” He expressed his frustration with the negative rhetoric surrounding ICE and insisted that the officers deserve respect. Homan emphasized that he would not back down and that he was there to support the men and women of ICE.
The atmosphere surrounding ICE has been tense, with Homan noting a significant increase in violence against ICE agents. He mentioned that attacks on officers have surged by 700% compared to the previous year. Homan attributed this rise in violence to irresponsible comments made by some politicians, including comparisons of ICE to the Nazis and other derogatory remarks.
Homan’s remarks reflect a broader debate in the country about immigration enforcement and the role of agencies like ICE. As tensions rise, the discussion around immigration policies and the treatment of enforcement officers continues to be a contentious issue in American politics.