Tom Homan clashes with Democrat lawmakers on Capitol Hill: I'm a taxpayer you work for me
Retired ICE Director Tom Homan says he would not stand by and let Democrat lawmakers tell lies about President Trump and the men and women serving with Border Patrol and ICE.
Retired ICE Director Tom Homan said Friday that House Democrats continue to push falsehoods about his former agency and illegal immigration, one day after an explosive clash between him and Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., at a hearing on border detentions.
Homan, a Fox News contributor, told "Fox & Friends" that he believes he got his point across and he feels it's his "responsibility to set the record straight."
"I'm not gonna sit there and let them tell lies about my president, tell lies about the men and women of the Border Patrol and ICE. ... At a certain point it's like, I'm not gonna shut up. ... Just because you have a gavel, doesn't make you queen of the day, it doesn't allow you to lie to the American people," said Homan.
He added it's "incredible" that he is under oath when he testifies at these hearings, but the lawmakers are not. Homan has been involved in several testy exchanges with House Democrats in recent months, including a confrontation with Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., in July.
The tense hearing over border detention practices erupted into a shouting match between Homan and Rep. Pramila Jayapal, as Homan grew frustrated in his attempts to defend his former agency.
Jayapal, the vice chairwoman of the House Judiciary Immigration and Citizenship Subcommittee, repeatedly cut off Homan for exceeding his allotted time.
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Tensions rose when the former ICE director responded to a previous statement Jayapal made about the Trump administration's use of funding for additional detention beds.
"Look, you want to know why there's 50,000 people in detention? You want to know why there are a million illegal entries into the United States? You want to know why we have these issues? Because you have failed to secure the border," Homan said. "You guys failed to work with this president to close the three loopholes we've asked for two years to close."
Jayapal interrupted, informing Homan repeatedly that his time was up. He continued speaking over her, growing impatient and claiming that others were able to go over their time.
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Jayapal slammed the gavel to silence Homan, as he fired back again, emphatically saying, "I'm a taxpayer. I'm a taxpayer, you work for me."
Homan said Congress has consistently vilified the Trump administration for using the same tactics to deal with illegal immigration that the Obama administration used.
"I didn't see hearings on that. ... That is misleading the American people. That's a false narrative they continue to push."
Fox News' Ronn Blitzer contributed to this report.
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