The White House's "border czar," Tom Homan, has refuted claims that British far-right commentator Milo Yiannopoulos was deported immediately following his arrest by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Yiannopoulos, 41, was detained on political grounds and swiftly removed from the United States.
Homan, speaking on CNN's "State of the Union," clarified that Yiannopoulos had overstayed his visitor visa and did not appear at an immigration hearing, resulting in a final order of removal on July 22. "He didn't show up," Homan explained. "The judge ordered him deported. So, once ICE gets an order of deportation from a federal judge, their job is to execute that order, and that's what they did."
The swift removal of Yiannopoulos, which occurred just a day after his arrest, has raised questions about whether he received preferential treatment. Homan attributed the expedited process to the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) efforts to streamline the deportation process. "Once a judge orders them out, rather than being in detention, waiting for travel documents and flight arrangements, we – ICE, along with the [border patrol] and [DHS] – [are] working really good on the efficiencies of the removal process," he said.
The DHS had promptly publicized Yiannopoulos's arrest on Thursday at an airport in New Orleans, where he may have been en route to attend a concert by rapper Ye, formerly Kanye West. By Saturday morning, Yiannopoulos's name was removed from the ICE detention list, and the DHS confirmed that he had been deported to the UK on Friday – one day after his arrest.
"He chose to overstay his welcome in violation of our nation's laws," a DHS release stated. "The administration is working diligently to ensure that aliens in our country illegally can no longer fly unless it is out of our country to self-deport."
CNN host Dana Bash inquired if right-wing influencer Laura Loomer had informed ICE about Yiannopoulos's expired visa status, as she had claimed. Homan responded, "A lot of people tipped ICE off. There are a lot of people who's calling ICE, and she says she's one of them. She probably was. But bottom line is, it doesn't matter. He was ordered removed by an immigration judge, and ICE's job it to execute that order."
Loomer and Yiannopoulos had previously been allies, both cheering on the Trump administration's deportation efforts. However, they had publicly fallen out. Homan denied that the Trump administration had targeted Yiannopoulos for political reasons. "We don't deport people based on political affiliation," he emphasized.
The case of Milo Yiannopoulos has sparked a broader conversation about the deportation process and the treatment of individuals who overstay their visas. Homan's comments underscore the administration's commitment to enforcing immigration laws and the efficiency of the removal process. As the debate continues, the swift action taken in Yiannopoulos's case will likely remain a point of contention among critics and supporters alike.
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