Tom Homan, designated as the border czar by President-elect Donald Trump, showed visible distress over a recent incident at the U.S.-Mexico border.
A 2-year-old Salvadoran girl was discovered alone at the Texas border, highlighting the ongoing challenges of illegal immigration, the New York Post reported.
Tom Homan expressed his frustrations in an interview with The Post, using a recent viral video of the toddler to emphasize the perils facing children due to illegal border crossings.
Homan, who has decades of experience with border enforcement, described the emotional toll of witnessing the direct consequences of illegal immigration on vulnerable populations.
The young girl, found in Maverick County, Texas, was part of a larger group that included over 200 migrants, 60 of whom were unaccompanied minors like her. She wore a pink jacket and clutched a piece of paper that bore only a first name and a phone number. Despite her age, she told Texas state troopers that she had traveled to the U.S. by herself, aiming to reunite with her parents who were already in the country.
The Texas Department of Public Safety released footage of their interaction with the girl, which rapidly spread across social media and news outlets, drawing widespread attention to the issues at the border. In particular, the woman identified by the phone number as the girl's mother reported that she had paid a smuggler to bring her daughter to the U.S. but lost communication with the traffickers several days earlier.
Tom Homan emphasized the systemic issues that lead to such tragic scenarios. He highlighted that the current federal practice of merely calling to confirm a child's sponsor in the U.S. leads to incidents where children are exploited or end up lost in the system. As a result, he stressed the need for significant changes to prevent these outcomes.
Tom Homan shared his personal experiences to underline the severity of the situation. "I’ve held dying children and I’ve helped dead children. I’ve talked to girls as young as nine who were raped multiple times by members of the cartel. I've seen 19 dead migrants at my feet, one of them a five-year-old boy who was baked to death. This, in turn, all wears on you."
Tom Homan called for action, emphasizing the need to tell the truth about the tragedy at the border, including the rape of women by cartel members and the sexual assault of children. He argued that nearly every day, a child dies at the border, and that securing it more effectively could mitigate these tragedies. Furthermore, he stressed the importance of addressing these issues head-on to prevent further harm.
Homan believes that the Trump administration's commitment to transparency regarding border issues plays a crucial role in educating the public and ultimately saving lives. In addition, he stated, "And that little girl, God bless her, we need to get her back to her family," highlighting the need for stronger protective measures for children arriving at the border.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that authorities will likely hand over the young Salvadoran girl to Health and Human Services (HHS) until she can reunite with her family. Nevertheless, the challenge remains significant, as roughly 320,000 children who crossed the border alone and were released in the U.S. lost contact with the federal government.
The incident has reignited debates over U.S. immigration policy and border security, particularly concerning handling unaccompanied minors and preventing criminal exploitation. Tom Homan's candid remarks reflect a deep-seated concern for children affected by these policies, a concern he hopes will resonate with the public and lawmakers alike.
In summary, the emotional reaction of Tom Homan to the plight of the little girl found at the Texas border sheds light on the multiple facets of the immigration debate. It reflects ongoing issues with border security, the treatment of migrant children, and the broader humanitarian impacts of current immigration policies.
