Drama between Border Czar Tom Homan and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has been trickling into the media for months, and President Donald Trump’s decision to send the former to Minnesota is adding fuel to the fire.
In recent weeks, it’s been reported that Homan had been sidelined by Noem, in addition to U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott, and that the two had such an icy relationship that they barely spoke. Other reports indicated that Noem, longtime Trumpworld operative Corey Lewandowski, and Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino have instituted a mass shakeup affecting longtime ICE leaders, including Homan and ICE Director Todd Lyons.
Monday, it was reported that Bovino and some of his agents would be leaving Minnesota after reaching a “mutual agreement.” DHS Spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said late Monday that Bovino had not been relieved of his duties after rumors began circulating of his demotion.
One source told the Caller that Noem has hardly spoken to Homan since the start of the administration, and that she’s the one who has been micromanaging immigration enforcement procedures.
Another source said Homan has the respect of officers and more leadership was needed on the ground, a strength of his that probably led to him being dispatched. They confirmed Noem and Homan do not have a good relationship, but that Trump and his border czar do. A third source confirmed that Trump and Homan are still working well together. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Minnesota Facing Yet Another Crisis As Trump Admin Puts Federal Funding In Peril)
Over the last month, the DHS communications response to ongoing ICE incidents has been overembellished and too quick on the trigger, one of the sources said. There is a belief that Homan and his experience may bring more gravity and leadership to the situation.
US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem (C-L) and White House ‘border czar’ Tom Homan (C-R) speak to the press outside the White House in Washington, DC, on January 29, 2025. (Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)
“It’s bizarre given he’s a goldmine of experience. He doesn’t care about limelight, power, or titles — he just wants to get shit done. She’s armed with an arsenal of experience,” they said of the internal strife.
“Tom Homan, Rodney Scott, and Todd Lyons all bring decades of real law enforcement under their belts — experience most leaders would be lucky to lean on,” the source added, noting that they seem to be taken for granted.
A White House official told the Caller that Homan would be meeting with local officials on the ground to talk about cooperation moving forward. Trump wrote in a Truth Social that he had spoken to Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and they seemed to be “on a similar wavelength.” Trump also added that Homan would meet with Walz and the mayor of Minneapolis on Tuesday.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Monday afternoon that Homan would get on a flight in a few hours to Minnesota.
“He’s really going out there to get some work done,” a White House official told the Caller. They asserted that Homan, Noem and all other officials are on the same page in enacting the president’s mission.
The official added that Homan was uniquely suited to intervene in Minnesota given the limited scope of his job, while Noem is also overseeing agencies like FEMA responding to winter storm effects.
There have been two deadly shootings during January in Minneapolis while ICE works in the area. Renee Good was shot by an ICE agent on Jan. 7 and Alex Pretti was shot by a Border Patrol agent on Saturday. Both have sparked widespread protests. Democrats have since threatened to deny funding to the DHS unless the administration makes reforms.
“The President and the American people trust Tom Homan because he’s been doing this work for over 30 years, and you can hear it the second he opens his mouth,” a source familiar with the dynamics told the Caller.
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