Tom Homan, former U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official and now the Trump administration’s border czar, called on Illinois officials to apologize after a series of false claims that ICE agents conducted a raid at a Chicago elementary school. The controversy began when Pedro Martinez, CEO of Chicago Public Schools (CPS), falsely stated that ICE agents had attempted to raid Hamline Elementary School, a claim that Homan says was misleading and damaging to the community.
During an appearance on America Reports Monday, Homan sharply criticized Martinez for spreading a lie about ICE operations in Chicago. Martinez, speaking on MSNBC Friday, claimed that individuals who identified themselves as ICE agents had visited Hamline Elementary on the city’s Southwest Side. Martinez said that school staff, in response to the alleged visit, followed protocols to ensure that no information was shared with immigration authorities.
However, the truth quickly emerged: the individuals in question were not ICE agents but Secret Service agents investigating a TikTok threat. This clarification was made public shortly after Martinez’s remarks, which Homan believes were intentionally misleading.
“I talked to the people involved, and he knew exactly who was there,” Homan said. “He knew they were Secret Service agents because they left their credentials. So he lied. He sowed fear in the immigrant community for no reason.”
Homan didn’t stop at calling out Martinez. He also targeted Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, who had quickly taken to social media to condemn the alleged ICE raid. Pritzker wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “After a week of Republicans sowing fear and chaos, the first reports of raids in Chicago are at an elementary school. Targeting children and separating families is cruel and un-American.”
Homan accused Pritzker of irresponsibly amplifying the situation without first confirming the facts. Instead of reaching out to ICE for clarification, the Governor chose to escalate the narrative.
“Governor Pritzker, rather than calling ICE and asking, ‘Did this happen or did it not happen?’ he goes on social media and terrifies elementary schoolers,” Homan said. “He accuses me of terrifying the community. No, he terrified the community. He terrified the children.”
While Homan expressed his frustration with the misinformation, he reiterated that ICE’s primary mission is to remove individuals who pose a threat to public safety and national security, particularly violent criminals and those with lengthy criminal records. He emphasized that the Trump administration’s approach to immigration enforcement focuses on securing the border and reducing crime, something President Trump campaigned on in 2024.
The controversy surrounding the false claim of an ICE raid at Hamline Elementary School highlights the ongoing tensions around immigration enforcement, particularly in cities like Chicago, with large illegal immigrant populations, where state and local officials have increasingly pushed back against federal immigration policies.
Homan’s calls for an apology and his defense of ICE operations come at a time when the Trump administration is ramping up efforts to secure the U.S.-Mexico border and target criminal aliens who pose a danger to public safety. As the debate over immigration enforcement continues, accurate information and responsible leadership is especially crucial.
I am so tired of the “SEPERATING FAMILIES” lies.
NO Family Units have crossed the border. We have seen THOUSANDS of Military Age MALES crossing the border; We have seen HUNDREDS or THOUSANDS of Chinese National MALES crossing and we have seen THOUSANDS of “unaccompanied” MINORS who have arrived at the border ALONE, no doubt being dropped off in the area by the DRUG CARTELS who brought them, from God only knows where, but NO INTACT FAMILIES.
That being said, these LYING POS SHIT officials need to STOP their LYING BS, sit their asses down and allow authorities to do what MUST BE DONE. CLEAN UP THE COUNTRY
If they can’t stand the heat, GTF out of the kitchen, pick yup your knitting needles , your hamburger and fries; STUFF your faces and STFU
When there is a Democratic politician numerous lies come from their mouths. A Native American would say “They speak with a forked tongue”. Everyone knows they are SNAKES in the Grass.