Border czar Tom Homan has responded to Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s claim that he engages in racial profiling, describing the accusation as “disgusting” and demanding an apology.
Earlier on Tuesday, Pritzker asserted that Homan had “long ago acknowledged he was racially profiling” and accused Homan’s agency of “attacking our Latino communities,” in light of ICE’s heightened activity in Chicago.
Homan told “The Hill” on Tuesday evening that he “will be waiting for his apologies,” denying he has ever said that.
The border czar said Pritzker “miscontrued” what he had previously stated.
Homan clarified that the appearance of individuals is “one of the many factors you consider,” emphasizing that “you can’t arrest somebody just based on appearance.”
“Reasonable suspicion is based on various facts observed by the officer, including appearance. For instance, if someone has an MS-13 tattoo on their face, that’s one of the factors to consider, but it’s not the sole factor,” Homan explained.
“What I said is that ICE officers do not racially profile. For him to say otherwise is disgusting. ICE officers receive Fourth Amendment training every six months—they are well-trained,” he stated.
When addressing protests against the agency’s increased presence, Homan remarked, “They can protest all they want. In fact, those streets are safer to protest on because of what ICE has achieved since President Trump has returned to the White House.”
