Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Tom Homan, the incoming presidential "border czar," visited the U.S.-Mexico border today, highlighting renewed focus on immigration enforcement under President-elect Donald Trump. Homan, formerly the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is among Trump’s first appointees, tasked with overseeing the deportation of illegal immigrants.
“President Trump has a mandate from the American people,” Homan said during the visit. “We’ve got to secure this country and save American lives.”
The event also featured remarks from Texas General Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, U.S. Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX-21), and the mother of Jocelyn Nungaray, a 12-year-old Houston girl murdered earlier this year. Two illegal immigrants with suspected ties to the Venezuelan gang "Tren de Aragua" have been charged in Nungaray’s killing, underscoring the intersection of immigration and public safety that dominated the day’s discussion.
Buckingham warned of the dangers posed by sanctuary cities, stating, “Sanctuary cities release illegal immigrants back onto the streets… this stops now.” She emphasized the Trump administration’s commitment to border security by announcing her formal offer of 1,400 acres of land in Starr County to aid in future deportation efforts.
Nungaray’s tragic case follows the February abduction and murder of Laken Riley, whose killer, also an illegal immigrant, recently received a life sentence without parole.
Rep. Chip Roy used his platform to criticize the Biden administration’s handling of border security. “The Biden administration has utterly refused to do the job to secure the border — purposefully, intentionally,” he said. “As a result, Americans have died.”
Abbott echoed these sentiments, stating that illegal immigration is “crushing families across the entire country.” He praised the incoming administration’s commitment to law enforcement, saying, “I’m thankful that we finally have a president — President Trump — who’s going to enforce the laws of the United States.”
The visit comes on the heels of Abbott’s recent efforts to bolster border security in Texas, including expanding the buoy barrier deterrence system in the Rio Grande. Homan reinforced the need for these measures, calling illegal immigration a “national security vulnerability.”
In the days leading up to the visit, Homan and Abbott appeared on Fox News, where they outlined their shared priorities for the border. Homan emphasized the stakes, stating, “We’re here to restore order and save American lives.”
The day’s speeches highlighted the Trump administration’s focus on reversing policies perceived as lenient and addressing concerns about violent crime linked to illegal immigration. For border communities and beyond, today’s visit signaled the start of a stricter approach to immigration under the incoming administration.
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