Key Takeaways
• Tom Homan warns undocumented immigrants they face prosecution and daily fines up to $998 if they ignore removal orders.
• Trump’s administration reports 139,000 deportations since January 2025, prioritizing mass deportation and self-deportation strategies.
• ICE receives increased authority, resources, and directives targeting sanctuary cities, expediting removal and enforcing strict registration requirements.
On April 28, 2025, Tom Homan, who serves as the White House border czar under President Trump, gave a strong warning to undocumented immigrants living in the United States 🇺🇸. Homan said that these individuals “cannot hide” from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, which is known as ICE. This message is a part of President Trump’s mass deportation plan. The approach focuses on finding and removing undocumented immigrants from the country, as well as making undocumented people think about returning to their home countries on their own.
This article will explain what this warning means, how the new enforcement strategy works, who could be affected, and what the reactions have been. It will also give background information to help readers understand the bigger picture of immigration enforcement in the United States 🇺🇸 today.
What Tom Homan Said and What It Means
Tom Homan made it clear that ICE is actively searching for undocumented immigrants. He said that if people are in the United States 🇺🇸 without proper permission, and they do not fix their situation, they will be “prosecuted and deported.” Homan’s message was not only a warning but also a sign that the Trump administration is taking a tougher stance on immigration.
He explained that all undocumented immigrants need to register with the federal government and have the required papers. If they do not follow this rule, it will be seen as a criminal act. Homan also said that those who have been told by a judge to leave the United States 🇺🇸 but choose to stay anyway will face strong prosecution and could be fined up to $998 for every day they remain in the country.
Here are the main points from Tom Homan’s statement:
– ICE is looking for undocumented immigrants, and they will face legal action if they do not comply.
– All undocumented immigrants have to register and keep their documents up to date.
– Not following the registration rule can lead to being charged with a crime.
– People ordered to leave but who stay will face daily fines as high as $998 and strong prosecution.
From these statements, it is clear that the Trump administration wants to make it as difficult as possible for undocumented immigrants to remain in the United States 🇺🇸. They also want to send a message so that some will choose to leave on their own.
The Mass Deportation Agenda and Its Goals
The Trump administration has made mass deportation a top priority. Since taking office in January 2025, the administration says it has removed about 139,000 migrants from the United States 🇺🇸 as reported by VisaVerge.com. This is a large number of deportations in a short time. However, when looking at the month-by-month deportation numbers, the Trump administration’s figures are lower than the monthly numbers seen during President Biden’s last year in office.
Still, the administration says its strict approach is working. They believe that by being tough, they can convince many undocumented immigrants to leave on their own, which is often called “self-deportation.” Self-deportation happens when someone leaves the country by their own choice because living in the United States 🇺🇸 without the right papers becomes too risky or difficult.
President Trump’s mass deportation plan involves:
– Increasing the number of ICE agents and officers on the ground,
– Making sure all undocumented immigrants are registered,
– Adding daily fines to increase pressure on those who stay after receiving a final order to leave, and
– Pushing for faster court cases so that removal orders can be issued more quickly.
The administration says these efforts are needed to protect the country’s borders and enforce the law.
ICE’s Role and How Enforcement Works
ICE is the main government agency in charge of finding and removing undocumented immigrants from the United States 🇺🇸. ICE agents work in communities across the country. Their jobs include arresting people who do not have the right legal status, transporting them to detention centers, and carrying out deportations.
With the Trump administration’s new mass deportation plan, ICE is expected to receive more support, more funding, and new orders to increase the number of arrests and deportations. ICE agents are being told to look for people who have stayed after their visas have expired, those who crossed the border without the right documents, and anyone with a final order to leave.
People who are targeted for deportation could go through the following steps:
1. Arrest: ICE agents may identify, locate, and arrest the person in question.
2. Detention: After arrest, individuals may be taken to a detention center while their case is decided.
3. Court Hearing: Immigration courts review the case. If the court gives a final order for removal, ICE is tasked with carrying it out.
4. Deportation: Once the order is final, ICE arranges the removal of the person from the United States 🇺🇸.
Individuals who have not obeyed a final removal order face extra consequences under the new approach, such as daily fines and criminal charges.
Registration Requirement and Legal Risks
Tom Homan’s statement introduced a new requirement for undocumented immigrants: registration with the federal government. The goal is to make sure the government knows about everyone’s presence and status in the country. Keeping documents up to date is also stressed as very important.
If undocumented immigrants do not register and keep their paperwork legal, the Trump administration will treat this as a criminal act. This is much stricter than past approaches. Until recently, the government mainly focused on people with criminal records or those who posed threats. The new rule means that anyone who is undocumented and has not registered is at risk of being arrested, fined, or prosecuted.
Homan also shared that individuals who already have a final removal order from an immigration judge and who refuse to leave will be charged aggressively. The daily $998 fine is meant to discourage people from ignoring these orders.
Deportation Statistics and Comparing Administrations
As of late April 2025, President Trump’s administration reported that around 139,000 migrants have been deported since he took office. This number might seem high, but monthly statistics show a drop compared to the last months before President Biden left office. Still, the Trump administration claims to have made “significant progress” when it comes to border security.
Officials say that illegal border crossings have fallen to their lowest point in many years. This is used by the administration to highlight the success of what they call a strict border policy.
Executive Orders and Sanctuary Cities
Looking ahead, President Trump is preparing to sign new executive orders aimed at helping federal law enforcement when it comes to immigration. These orders are expected to include measures that will:
– Give more power and resources to ICE,
– Speed up removal processes,
– Increase penalties for people who avoid orders to leave, and
– Target what are known as “sanctuary cities.”
Sanctuary cities are local areas, often big cities like New York or Los Angeles, that limit how much they help federal immigration authorities. These places often have local rules that stop police or other local workers from cooperating with ICE or sharing information about undocumented immigrants.
Trump’s new orders would mean that the government would keep a public list of cities or counties that do not help enforce immigration laws. This could put extra pressure on these local governments to comply with federal rules. You can find more about ICE’s work and updates on their enforcement policies at the official U.S. ICE website.
Public Reactions: Support and Opposition
The mass deportation plan, the warning from Tom Homan, and the role of ICE under President Trump have created strong reactions throughout the country. Some people support the strict approach and believe strong enforcement is needed for safety and fairness. They argue that following immigration law helps keep the country secure and that people should not be allowed to break these laws without facing consequences.
Others, however, express deep concern about the new policies:
– Families may be split up, with parents deported while their children—who may have been born in the United States 🇺🇸—remain in the country.
– Some critics say the focus on mass deportation ignores basic rights, including the right to have a court hearing and fair treatment.
– There is also worry about the mental health, safety, and well-being of children whose families are caught up in these actions.
Immigrant advocacy groups have raised serious questions about due process, which is the legal right to fair procedures before someone can be deprived of liberty or property. These groups fear that with mass deportation as a goal, some people might lose their right to a proper hearing or time to prepare a defense.
Historical Background
The United States 🇺🇸 has debated immigration enforcement for decades. Past administrations have tried different approaches, sometimes emphasizing strict enforcement and at other times focusing on providing pathways to legalization for some undocumented immigrants. President Trump’s mass deportation agenda marks a strong swing toward tough enforcement and quick removal.
In earlier administrations, including President Obama’s, enforcement mainly focused on undocumented immigrants with criminal records. However, some families and individuals without criminal backgrounds also faced deportation. Trump’s approach, as described by Tom Homan, appears to cast the net more widely.
Potential Short and Long-Term Impacts
The immediate results of these actions mean that many undocumented immigrants are likely to be arrested or will feel forced to leave the country. Some businesses that rely on immigrant workers may see labor shortages. Schools and community organizations may also feel the effects if many children lose family members to deportation.
Looking to the future, there could be wider effects on both the economy and society:
– The overall number of undocumented immigrants may fall, but the removal of workers can create problems in industries like agriculture or hospitality.
– Families torn apart by deportation may create emotional and financial hardships for children and loved ones left behind.
– Sanctuary cities may face additional pressure or may choose to fight back in court, bringing about legal battles over states’ rights versus federal law.
Balancing Security and Rights
The Trump administration and supporters say all these steps are required to enforce existing laws and protect the country’s borders. Supporters argue that enforcing the law is not optional and that ICE needs clear orders and tools to do its job.
Those who oppose the plan highlight concerns about fairness and the human cost. They believe that mass deportation, daily fines, and labeling people as criminals for not registering is too harsh and could make life dangerous for entire communities—including long-term residents and children.
Both sides agree on one point: immigration remains one of the most important and emotional issues in the United States 🇺🇸 today.
Conclusion and What to Expect Next
Tom Homan’s public warning, combined with President Trump’s mass deportation plan and ICE’s new powers, makes it clear that the administration is serious about strict enforcement. The registration requirement, daily fines, and focus on removal orders show that the administration wants undocumented immigrants to either fix their status quickly or leave the country.
The debate over mass deportation is not likely to end soon. As new executive orders are expected, federal and local officials, advocacy groups, and families are all closely watching what comes next. People affected by these changes may be forced to make difficult choices, while communities across the country consider the impact of actions driven by the Trump administration, ICE, and the mass deportation strategy.
For anyone seeking the latest information or needing details about legal rights and ICE policies, it is important to look at official government sources or trusted platforms like VisaVerge.com.
As the situation continues to develop, everyone in the United States 🇺🇸—from immigrants and their families to employers and local officials—will be watching to see how these policies play out and what it means for the country’s future.
Learn Today
ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) → A federal agency responsible for identifying, arresting, detaining, and deporting individuals violating immigration laws in the United States.
Mass Deportation → A large-scale government effort to quickly identify, detain, and remove large numbers of undocumented immigrants from the country.
Sanctuary Cities → Local jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities, often to protect undocumented immigrants from deportation.
Removal Order → A final decision by an immigration judge ordering an individual to leave the United States due to lack of legal status.
Self-deportation → When undocumented immigrants voluntarily leave the country because enforcement policies or penalties make staying too risky or difficult.
This Article in a Nutshell
Tom Homan’s stern warning to undocumented immigrants signals an aggressive shift in U.S. immigration enforcement. With daily fines, stricter registration, and expedited deportations, the policy pressures individuals to self-deport. Trump’s push mobilizes ICE, increases legal consequences, and targets sanctuary cities—deepening polarization and raising concerns over fairness, rights, and community impact.
— By VisaVerge.com
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