Tom Homan, a senior official at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), also known as the Border Czar, has addressed President Donald Trump‘s comments regarding the possible arrest of California Governor Gavin Newsom.
What Happened: In a recent interview with CBS News, Homan addressed Trump’s statement about arresting Newsom. He stated that the comment was taken ‘out of context’ and that there are currently ‘no intentions’ and no grounds to arrest the governor.
“They haven’t crossed a line yet, but like any other U.S. citizen if you cross that line I don’t care who they are. The governor, the mayor, whatever — when you commit a crime against ICE officers, we will seek prosecution,” Homan said.
When questioned if Newsom had done anything to obstruct ICE officers, Homan referred the matter to the Department of Justice (DOJ), stating that it would be their duty to investigate and prosecute any potential crimes.
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Why It Matters: This clarification comes after Trump voiced his support for the potential arrest of Newsom amid the ongoing protests against his immigration policies in Los Angeles. The U.S. military has deployed approximately 700 Marines to the city to protect federal property and personnel. This move has sparked a legal battle, with California filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration, claiming that the deployment violates federal law and state sovereignty.
Newsom has been a vocal critic of the Trump administration’s immigration policies, going as far as to challenge the federalization of the California National Guard without the state’s consent. The protests in Los Angeles have also turned violent, with reports of vandalism and arson, including the destruction of Alphabet‘s (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Waymo robotaxis.
Amid this tumultuous situation, Homan’s clarification provides some insight into the potential legal actions that could unfold in the coming days.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
