May 7, 2026 - Tucson, AZ – On Wednesday, former Acting ICE Director and Trump-appointed “Border Czar” Tom Homan 
spoke in Arizona at the 2026 Border Security Expo, where he escalated threats against cities and local leaders who refuse to participate in Donald Trump’s cruel mass deportation agenda. During his remarks, Homan warned that communities declining to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement could face an increased federal presence and expanded immigration raids, including so-called “collateral arrests” that put entire families and neighborhoods at risk.
In response, Congresswoman Grijalva and Tucson Mayor Regina Romero issued the following statement:
“Let’s not sugarcoat this. What Tom Homan said is a threat. Flat out. He’s saying that if cities don’t fall in line, he’s going to flood our neighborhoods with federal agents. And when he talks about ‘collateral arrests,’ we know exactly what that means. It’s not just targets — it’s everyone: parents, workers, people who’ve lived here for years getting swept up for simply being in the wrong place.
That’s intimidation. That’s using fear to force local communities to carry out Trump’s mass deportation agenda.
Law enforcement leaders across this country know that when immigrant families are too afraid to report crimes or cooperate with police, entire communities become less safe. Local leaders aren’t the problem here — they’re the ones actually trying to keep our communities safe.
Threatening cities for trying to build trust between residents and law enforcement isn’t leadership, it’s reckless and counterproductive. We’re not backing down. Not to fear tactics. Not to political theater. Our job is to protect our communities, not terrorize them. And that’s exactly what we’re going to keep doing.”
You can view the reaction video to Homan’s speech here.
Source: Congresswoman Adelita S. Grijalva
