Trump’s border czar Tom Homan is not playing around with anyone. He has no time for silly games.
That’s why Tom Homan laid the smackdown on a top U.S. House Rep. with just three simple words.
Tom Homan Fires Back at Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Over Immigration Dispute
Border Czar Tom Homan took to Fox News on Sunday to recount a clash he had with Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, where he found himself having to explain the fundamentals of border law to her, after she publicly told him to “learn to read” the Constitution.
The exchange, which dates back to 2019, took place during a congressional hearing when Ocasio-Cortez attempted to criticize Homan for his role in family separations at the border. Homan quickly set the record straight, educating her about the fact that U.S. border laws align with federal statutes when it comes to family separations. At the time, he reminded the congresswoman that entering the country illegally is a crime.
Appearing on Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo, Homan was asked about Ocasio-Cortez’s recent remarks. On social media platform X, the lawmaker suggested that Homan needed to “learn to read” and recommended he start with the U.S. Constitution in light of a warning from the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Homan didn’t hold back in his response: “Look, I forgot more about the Constitution and immigration enforcement than she’ll ever know. I mean, I had to educate her during congressional testimony that entering a country illegally is a crime,” he said. He then urged Ocasio-Cortez to read U.S. legal statutes, specifically Title VIII of the United States Code, sections 1324 and 1325, which make it illegal to enter the country without authorization.
He continued, “It’s a crime to enter this country illegally. Not only that, when you harbor and conceal and impede law enforcement, that’s a felony.” Homan took issue with Ocasio-Cortez’s position, accusing her of actively teaching illegal immigrants how to evade law enforcement rather than protecting their constitutional rights. “We all know they’ve got constitutional rights. But what she’s really doing, you and I and the rest of the country knows, she’s trying to teach them how to evade law enforcement,” Homan explained.
The tension between the two goes back to a 2019 congressional hearing where Ocasio-Cortez pressed Homan on the family separation issue. She accused him of being the “author” of the controversial policy, referencing a memo he had signed. Homan swiftly responded, making it clear that he did not write the policy and reminded the congresswoman that U.S. citizens also face family separations when arrested.
In his Fox News appearance, Homan went further to criticize Ocasio-Cortez’s stance, warning that her actions were potentially dangerous. He said that she was teaching illegal immigrants — many of whom have criminal backgrounds — how to avoid law enforcement, which could lead to grave consequences. Homan specifically referenced the case of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student from Georgia who was m*rdered, seemingly in connection to a crime involving an illegal immigrant. “Let’s hope she’s not educating the next person who gets out and m*rders a young college student in Georgia,” Homan remarked.
Homan also pointed to the serious implications of Ocasio-Cortez’s actions, describing the individuals in question as criminals who have been ordered to be removed from the country. “These are bad people we’re looking for. So she can call it education all she wants, but we all know it’s about evading law enforcement. These people have been ordered removed. The people we’re looking for now have final orders. They’re criminals. They’re in the country illegally.”
The controversy flared up again in January when Ocasio-Cortez held a virtual event on her Facebook page, titled “Know Your Rights With ICE.” The event aimed to educate undocumented immigrants about how to interact with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, either at home or at work. In response, Homan warned Ocasio-Cortez that he was working with the DOJ to determine whether she crossed a legal line by potentially obstructing ICE agents’ duties.
Ocasio-Cortez mocked the warning on social media, writing, “‘MaYbe shE’s goiNg to be in TroUble nOw’ Maybe he can learn to read. The Constitution would be a good place to start.”
While it remains uncertain whether the DOJ will take action against Ocasio-Cortez for the Facebook event, Homan confirmed that he had asked the department for a legal opinion on whether her actions might constitute an impediment to law enforcement.
While Homan argues that her actions could jeopardize public safety, Ocasio-Cortez maintains that she is simply advocating for the constitutional rights of immigrants. This back-and-forth is far from over. Recently, Tom Homan also appeared on CNN for an interview, where he said that he will “forget” more about immigration law than Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will ever learn in her life.
TOM HOMAN: “I've done this since 1984. I’ve forgot more about immigration law than AOC will ever know … I had to explain to her that entering the country illegally was actually a crime.”pic.twitter.com/3QGqgMX5c2
— Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) February 16, 2025
According to reports, under the second Trump administration, illegal border crossings are already at historic lows for the 21st century. U.S. border patrol is reporting they are encountering around 229 illegal aliens a day thus far, compared to the nearly 11,000+ of the Joe Biden administration that overwhelmed the border patrol law enforcement.
Stay tuned to the DC Daily Journal.
