ICE Agent Tom Homan Defends Agency's Use of Force, Despite Circulating Videos of Excessive Force.
In an interview with CBS Evening News anchor Tony Dokoupil, former acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement director Tom Homan claimed he hasn't witnessed any instances of excessive force being used by ICE agents outside of policy guidelines. This statement comes amid growing concerns about the use of force by ICE officers in recent months.
Videos have circulated showing ICE agents using force on individuals, including a mother being tackled by an agent, tear gas being used in a Chicago residential neighborhood, and car windows being smashed to apprehend drivers. Federal agents have also been shown using chokeholds on protesters. Homan acknowledged these incidents but maintained that the use of force was justified under the circumstances.
Homan stated that if he were aware of any instances of ICE officers acting outside of policy, there would be an investigation, and those responsible would be held accountable. However, when asked by Dokoupil about the recent shooting of a 37-year-old woman in Minneapolis, Homan declined to comment, citing the ongoing investigation.
Dokoupil pressed Homan on this point, suggesting that many Americans who have seen videos of ICE's actions would question his claims of not seeing excessive force. Homan remained confident in the integrity of ICE agents but emphasized that if any wrongdoing were found, those responsible would face consequences.
The incident in Minneapolis has raised concerns about the rhetoric and violence targeting ICE officers, which Homan attributed to "hateful" rhetoric and violent attacks against these personnel. According to federal guidelines, use of force is only authorized when no safe alternative exists.
It's worth noting that former President Trump, who appointed Homan as acting director, told 60 Minutes in November that he was satisfied with the tactics used by ICE, describing them as necessary to apprehend individuals who are "murderers and criminals." However, many of those arrested by ICE have no criminal record.
In an interview with CBS Evening News anchor Tony Dokoupil, former acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement director Tom Homan claimed he hasn't witnessed any instances of excessive force being used by ICE agents outside of policy guidelines. This statement comes amid growing concerns about the use of force by ICE officers in recent months.
Videos have circulated showing ICE agents using force on individuals, including a mother being tackled by an agent, tear gas being used in a Chicago residential neighborhood, and car windows being smashed to apprehend drivers. Federal agents have also been shown using chokeholds on protesters. Homan acknowledged these incidents but maintained that the use of force was justified under the circumstances.
Homan stated that if he were aware of any instances of ICE officers acting outside of policy, there would be an investigation, and those responsible would be held accountable. However, when asked by Dokoupil about the recent shooting of a 37-year-old woman in Minneapolis, Homan declined to comment, citing the ongoing investigation.
Dokoupil pressed Homan on this point, suggesting that many Americans who have seen videos of ICE's actions would question his claims of not seeing excessive force. Homan remained confident in the integrity of ICE agents but emphasized that if any wrongdoing were found, those responsible would face consequences.
The incident in Minneapolis has raised concerns about the rhetoric and violence targeting ICE officers, which Homan attributed to "hateful" rhetoric and violent attacks against these personnel. According to federal guidelines, use of force is only authorized when no safe alternative exists.
It's worth noting that former President Trump, who appointed Homan as acting director, told 60 Minutes in November that he was satisfied with the tactics used by ICE, describing them as necessary to apprehend individuals who are "murderers and criminals." However, many of those arrested by ICE have no criminal record.
, I mean, their Korean BBQ tacos were on point! Have you guys tried that spot? Anyway, back to this whole ICE thing... it's crazy how some people can justify using force like that. Reminds me of a time when my little brother got into a fight with his friends at school and I was the one trying to break it up, but not using any physical force 
... gotta know when to hold back, you know?
. Not sure what to think about this whole thing...
. Those vids are wild! A mom bein' tackled and car windows gettin' smashed? That's not how you make people comply 
. And what's up with these chokeholds on protesters? That's straight-up intimidation 
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. If there's even a hint of excessive force goin' down, we need to know about it ASAP 
. And let's be real, those videos are all over social media for a reason 
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. The issue is ICE itself, and how they're gonna change their ways so we can trust 'em again 
.
You can't just dismiss videos like that and expect people to trust the system 
. And what's up with this rhetoric about "hateful" attacks on ICE officers? Like, isn't it possible that protesters are upset because they think ICE is doing something wrong? 
. It feels like ICE is trying to spin this but honestly, it's hard to see it that way when you've got videos of agents using excessive force 
and yeah, i get where he's coming from about wanting to apprehend "murderers and criminals" but that's a pretty broad brush 
and what about all those people who aren't even a threat? it's like, we gotta be more mindful of how we're using force here... not saying homan is the one with the answer or anything 
. And then you've got Tom Homan saying there would be an investigation if he saw anything going down, but we all know how those investigations usually turn out... not so good 
. It's not right! If Tom Homan says he hasn't seen anything outside of policy guidelines, I don't know how to believe him. Those videos show some pretty heavy stuff - tear gas in a residential neighborhood? Smashin' car windows? And chokeholds on protesters? That's crazy! 
(stats from Pew Research Center 2022) but at what cost? 
the use of force by ice agents is up 25% in the past year alone 
(FBI data 2024) and we see videos like this one going viral on social media 
. its hard to make sense of tom homan's statement that he hasn't seen any instances of excessive force outside of policy guidelines 
, maybe we need to rethink our language and actions around these issues 
like, what about all those vids circulatin of ICE agents bein all aggressive & violent? 
& now theres this chick in Minneapolis who got shot by an ICE agent...that's just reckless & irresponsible 
. and dont even get me started on trump's words - murderers & criminals? like, come on! 
. federal guidelines say use of force should only happen if theres no safe way out...but hes just shruggin it off 
My kid would freak out if they saw a video like that and thought the cops were doing the same thing... 
I know it's all about policy guidelines, but sometimes you gotta wonder what's really going on behind the scenes... 
. Tom Homan's just tryin' to spin it, like he hasn't seen some of this crazy stuff go down himself. I mean, if he really didn't know about all the excessive force goin' on, wouldn't there be some kinda investigation? It just seems like they're coverin' their tracks 
. And what's with Trump's "hateful" rhetoric? That's just makin' a mountain outta nothin' 
. ICE agents should be focusin' on keepin' our borders secure, not roughin' up innocent folks 
. We need real change, not just lip service 
.
. I mean, come on, something needs to be done about this 
. We need more transparency and accountability from our law enforcement agencies 
. Is the war on immigration really worth it?