As President-elect Donald Trump gears up for his second term, his border czar, Tom Homan, has revealed ambitious plans for what is being called the “largest deportation in history.” Homan stated that the administration is exploring agreements with third countries to house deported migrants whose home nations refuse to take them back.
“We are already having discussions. So we’ll find a third country,” Homan said, signaling that preparations are underway even before Trump’s January 20 inauguration.
Seeking a Third-Country Agreement
The strategy of relocating migrants to a third country draws parallels to the United Kingdom’s attempted agreement with Rwanda to host refugees. However, that program faced legal hurdles and was ultimately abandoned by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Homan declined to name the nations under consideration, but earlier reports suggest countries like Turks & Caicos, the Bahamas, Panama, and Grenada have been approached. While the Bahamas has rejected the idea, Guatemala may emerge as a potential partner, according to a Reuters report.
Homan’s Role Under Trump
Homan is set to play a pivotal role in Trump’s administration, tasked with three key objectives:
- Securing the U.S.-Mexico border.
- Conducting large-scale deportation operations.
- Locating 300,000 missing undocumented children reported in the U.S.
At a recent roundtable in Naples, Florida, Homan emphasized that the administration is building a financial framework, with $86 billion proposed by Congress to fund facilities and operational costs.
Challenges Ahead
While the plans are ambitious, Homan acknowledged the logistical hurdles, especially the complexities of expanding a deportation program on such a scale. Nevertheless, he expressed confidence that Trump’s firm stance on immigration will bring significant changes starting January 20.
“Everything changes on January 20,” Homan declared, reflecting the administration’s determination to address illegal immigration as a top priority.
