TL;DR
Tom Homan opposes a 'clean' DACA bill, viewing the program as rewarding illegal behavior and advocating for its termination.
Key Points
As acting ICE director in 2018, he refused to guarantee DACA enrollees would not be deported if encountered during enforcement operations.
He argued in July 2020 that the Obama administration created DACA, which subsequently caused a surge in family units and unaccompanied alien children.
He opposed a 'clean' DACA bill that offered a pathway to citizenship, suggesting it would be a 'shame' if enacted.
Summary
Tom Homan, a former acting director of ICE and advisor to the president, holds a negative stance on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy. He has been a vocal critic since its inception in 2012, stating in a July 2020 commentary that he was vocal against it when it was created, predicting it would encourage more illegal immigration, which he claims subsequently occurred with surges in family units and unaccompanied children. He advocates for ending the program, arguing that it is merely a temporary deferral of enforcement and that rewarding illegal behavior only leads to more of it.
Homan believes that DACA recipients still lack true legal status, possessing only a deferral from enforcement action. He has explicitly opposed a 'clean' DACA bill that would provide a pathway to citizenship for enrollees, calling it a 'shame' if passed. His position is rooted in a strict interpretation of immigration law, suggesting that if the Department of Homeland Security has the authority to create the program, a subsequent DHS secretary should have the authority to end it promptly, following correct bureaucratic procedures.
Key Quotes
If we encounter them during a targeted enforcement operation,” he said during a 2018 interview, “we will take action.”
“We'd have to arrest 7,000 a day every day for the remainder of this administration just to remove those the Biden administration released into the country illegally.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Tom Homan is a strong opponent of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. He views it as a reward for illegal behavior that encourages further illegal immigration. He has publicly advocated for its termination by the Department of Homeland Security.
Homan's publicly stated position appears consistent, as he claims to have been a critic since DACA was implemented in 2012. He continues to argue that it incentivizes illegal entry and opposes legislative efforts to create a pathway to citizenship for enrollees.
During his time as acting ICE director, Tom Homan stated that DACA enrollees were not off-limits for deportation. He confirmed that if ICE encountered them during a targeted enforcement operation, action would be taken against them.
Sources7
Trump & Homan Discuss the Fate of Dreamers
Tom Homan on Dreamers : r/DACA
Thomas Homan - IDEASPACE® U.S. IMMIGRATION POLICY
The Rancher and the ICE Director
DACA Can Be Ended With Swift DHS Action
What Is Tom Homan's Migrant Arrest Quota—and What Does It Mean for Immigrants?
United We Dream Responds to Trump's Comments on DACA
* This is not an exhaustive list of sources.