On Sunday, February 15th, Tom Homan, the head of U.S. Border Affairs, strongly responded to the partial government shutdown caused by the expiration of funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the reform proposals put forth by the Democratic Party during an interview with CBS. Additionally, an investigation found that many radical individuals would use encrypted communication platforms to track, harass, or attack ICE agents.
Regarding the Democratic Party’s proposal that immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents should not be allowed to wear masks during operations, Homan explicitly expressed his opposition on the CBS program “Facing the Nation.”
He stated, “I don’t like wearing masks myself, but we have to face reality. Threats against ICE officials have increased by over 1,500%, and actual attacks and threats have increased by over 8,000%. These men and women must wear masks to protect themselves.”
Currently, the funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) expired on February 14th, leading to a partial government shutdown. The Democratic Party has put forward a series of policy changes aimed at restarting department operations, including requiring ICE agents to present identification, wear body cameras, remove masks during operations, obtain judicial search warrants before entering private property, and cease so-called “racial profiling” checks.
Homan rejected each of these proposals. He said, “They want to say stop racial profiling, but in reality, it simply doesn’t happen. ICE operates based on reasonable suspicion, conducting brief detentions and questioning, which has nothing to do with racial profiling.” He added that law enforcement officers have done enough to demonstrate their identities.
Homan further highlighted the real dangers faced by law enforcement officers and their families, stating, “Just yesterday, the ICE director and his wife were filmed while walking to work. He was doxxed, with even his children being investigated and followed. So I have to say, what other organization domestically has seen an 8,000% increase in cases of violent threats like us?”
During the interview, Homan vigorously defended the immigration enforcement search methods. He emphasized, “The U.S. Congress itself has enacted the Immigration and Nationality Act, giving the power to arrest someone with an administrative arrest warrant, as stipulated in federal regulations.”
He went on to say, “Now, if Congress wants to make changes, they can choose to legislate. However, ICE’s current actions are entirely within the framework of federal laws passed by Congress and signed by the President.”
Regarding the “Operation Metro Surge” launched in Minnesota in December 2025, Homan revealed that the operation had recovered 3,364 missing unaccompanied children and arrested over 4,000 suspects.
Previously, the California government had enacted the “Prohibition of Secret Police Act” and the “Prohibition of Vigilante Acts,” requiring law enforcement officers, including ICE, to refrain from wearing masks or face coverings while enforcing in California, while also mandating the wearing of identification badges. Federal Judge Christina Snyder ruled that the prohibition of wearing masks or face coverings in the “Prohibition of Secret Police Act” was illegal, while wearing identification badges was deemed legal.
Epoch Times contacted the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) for more information but did not receive a response before the deadline.
Homan’s allegations are not baseless. Currently, ICE operations across the United States are being obstructed and attacked by some far-left and radical individuals, especially the “Operation Metro Surge” in Minnesota facing resistance from the local community.
Two clashes between Minnesota and demonstrators turned into fatal conflicts. On January 7th, protester Renee Good drove her vehicle into ICE officials, resulting in a fatal shooting. Several weeks later, Alex Pretti clashed with ICE agents and was shot dead while the agents were in the process of arresting a criminal record illegal immigrant. Federal authorities determined that law enforcement officers acted in self-defense.
Furthermore, a Fox News investigation found that far-left and radical groups are using encrypted communication software like “Signal” to systematically track, obstruct, and even attack ICE and other federal law enforcement officers.
The investigation revealed that these radical groups have established a database named “MN ICE PLATES,” detailing thousands of suspected ICE agent license plate numbers and vehicle characteristics. They call themselves “Rapid Responders,” deploying checkpoints around law enforcement sites and using emoji codes to report agents’ locations.
Additionally, these radical organizations not only follow law enforcement agents but also upload short, maliciously edited videos to social media while posting a significant amount of inflammatory posts, attempting to incite public unrest by fabricating images of illegal enforcement by ICE in the wake of the two incidents in Minnesota. This could lead to further misunderstandings, hatred, and even physical attacks against federal law enforcement officers.