White House border czar Tom Homan on Sunday said the Trump administration will adopt a "zero tolerance" approach to protesters who cross the line into violence against Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and that those who fund or equip such actions will face prosecution.
"You throw a stone, you’re going to jail. You put hands on an ICE officer, you’re going to jail. You make a threat – online or in person – you’re going to jail," Homan said on this week's "Sunday Morning Futures," adding that U.S. attorneys nationwide have been directed to pursue such cases.
Homan, who has been leading the administration's messaging on border and immigration enforcement, emphasized that peaceful protest remains protected under the First Amendment but said harmful activities that threaten public safety or ICE personnel will not be tolerated. He said the Department of Justice and U.S. attorneys have received guidance to bring criminal charges where violence, threats or the provision of weapons are involved.
The border czar also said the administration has launched an effort to identify organizations and individuals providing funds or weapons to protesters that have engaged in violent acts. "There's a whole effort right now identifying those who are funding these operations, those who fund the weapons that are being used," he said. "And they'll be held accountable too and held to the highest standards of the law. They will be prosecuted, too."
Homan's remarks come amid heightened tensions after confrontations between anti‑ICE demonstrators and immigration agents in cities including Portland, where protesters in some instances staged dramatic displays outside ICE facilities. Protesters in Portland rolled out a guillotine and burned a flag outside the agency’s field office on Sept. 1, an encounter that drew national attention and intensified debate over enforcement tactics and protesters' conduct.
The comments also follow a recent push by the administration to crack down on crime in Washington, D.C., and other cities the White House has cited as crime‑plagued, including Chicago and Baltimore. Homan framed the response to violent demonstrations as part of a broader effort to prioritize public safety and national security threats.
Homan criticized elected officials and media figures who have compared ICE to historical and extremist actors, saying such statements are improper and urging lawmakers who oppose current enforcement to pursue legislation rather than condemn agents. "If ICE is racist for enforcing the law, what does that make them?" he asked, later saying, "They wrote the law," referring to Congress. "So members of Congress, everyone that wants to attack ICE is disgusting. They're an embarrassment to the position they hold. They're members of Congress. If they don't like what ICE is doing, then do your job and legislate."
The administration's enforcement stance also reflects broader tensions over border policy, immigration enforcement priorities and the role of federal law enforcement in managing protests. Homan did not identify specific organizations or individuals targeted in the probe of funders, and he did not provide a timetable for potential prosecutions.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt accompanied Homan at a recent briefing where the administration reiterated support for ICE personnel and the need to maintain law and order while recognizing constitutional protections for peaceful demonstrators.
Legal experts say charges in protest‑related incidents commonly focus on assault, threats, destruction of government property and conspiracy, depending on the facts. Civil liberties groups have argued that aggressive enforcement can chill lawful protest and raised concerns when federal authorities take a prominent role in policing demonstrations.
Homan's comments are likely to reinforce a contentious political debate over immigration enforcement and protests, with supporters of tougher enforcement framing the measures as necessary to protect federal officers and public safety, and civil liberties advocates warning against criminalizing dissent. The administration has indicated it will pursue prosecutions where federal authorities determine criminal conduct has occurred, leaving courts and prosecutors to weigh charges on a case‑by‑case basis.