Footage has resurfaced from a past congressional hearing where former ICE Director Tom Homan completely shut down Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D-NY) with cold, hard facts surrounding the enforcement of immigration laws at the U.S. border with Mexico. The hearing stemmed from Democratic outrage regarding former President Donald Trump’s border policies.
The conversation was centered around the separation of families who crossed into the United States illegally, which AOC suggested was a violation of international law. “So we as members of the United Nations signed on into international human rights agreement, saying very clearly that family separation is a violation of international human rights, and we pursued a policy that violates human rights. You know, Mr. Chair, I was looking, how did we get to this point?”
AOC went on a tirade against Homan, blasting him over a memo that supposedly authorized the separation of families at the border. However, he maintained that he was not the memo’s author, but merely signed the “zero-tolerance memo.” Homan emphasized, “I gave Secretary Nielsen numerous recommendations on how to secure the border and save lives.”
The progressive “Squad” member hit back, “But it says here that you read, you gave her numerous options, but the recommendation was option three, family separation.” Homan interjected, “I’m saying this is not the only paper where we’ve given the secretary numerous options to secure the border and save lives. And so the recommendation of the many that you recommended, you recommended family separation,” AOC doubled down.
Homan maintained his “zero tolerance” stance, stating, “I recommend a zero tolerance … the same as is whatever US citizen, parent gets arrested when they’re with a child.” However, AOC didn’t seem to acknowledge that this practice was consistent with how U.S. citizens are treated when they are under arrest for breaking the law.
After the congresswoman attempted to continue ranting about the implications of “zero tolerance,” Homan interrupted again to provide AOC with helpful context. “If I get arrested for DUI and I have a young child in a car, I’m gonna be separated. When I was a police officer in New York and I arrested a father for domestic violence, I separated that father from the family.”
AOC then said, “Mr. Homan, with all due respect, legal asylees are not charged with any crime.” However, Homan clarified that unlawfully crossing the border, whether you are seeking asylum or not, is still a crime if you don’t go through a legal port of entry. “When you’re in the country illegally, it’s violation eight United States Code, 1325,” Homan said, citing the specific law.
AOC was not pleased with this answer, retorting, “Seeking asylum is legal.” The former ICE director fired back, “If you want to seek asylum and go to the port of entry. Do it the legal way.” Ocasio Cortez appeared visibly frustrated with Homan’s answer. “The Attorney General of the United States and made that clear,” he added.
Watch the former ICE director educate AOC below: