Tom Homan, President Donald Trump’s former border czar, clashed with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) over a webinar she hosted advising migrants on how to handle encounters with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Homan suggested Ocasio-Cortez could be impeding ICE enforcement efforts. The exchange occurred on February 14, 2025.
“Let’s pray that she is not ‘educating’ the next murderer of a young college nursing student on how to evade arrest by ICE,” Homan told Fox News Digital. “How many more young women have to be raped, murdered, and burned alive until she wakes up?”
Homan first raised concerns on “The Ingraham Angle,” stating he had emailed the deputy attorney general to inquire whether Ocasio-Cortez’s “Know Your Rights with ICE” event on her Facebook page could be considered an impediment to federal law enforcement. “Is that impeding our law enforcement efforts? If so, what are we going to do about it? Is she crossing the line? So I’m working with the Department of Justice and finding out. Where is that line that they cross? So maybe AOC is going to be in trouble now,” Homan said.
The webinar provided information on how to handle ICE search requests, warned of alleged “ruses” used by ICE agents, and discussed trends in ICE search practices, which have increased under the Trump administration. Participants were also advised to record searches and differentiate between types of warrants ICE agents might carry.
Although Ocasio-Cortez did not participate in the webinar, she shared tips on Instagram via posters in English and Spanish, urging followers to print and display them. “So if ICE comes to your workplace or home, whether you are a citizen or noncitizen – YOU can defend your community and our constitution by exercising your right,” she wrote.
On Thursday, Ocasio-Cortez mocked Homan on X for suggesting she could face legal trouble. “MaYbe shE’s goiNg to be in TroUble nOw,” she posted. “Maybe he can learn to read. The Constitution would be a good place to start,” she added.
Homan told Fox News Digital he was seeking the Justice Department’s interpretation of laws regarding obstruction and emphasized his awareness of the Constitution. He also referenced Title 8 USC 1324 and 1325, stating, “It’s not OK to be in the U.S. illegally. It’s a violation of federal law to enter this country illegally. It is not OK to assist those in the U.S. illegally in furtherance of their illegal entry and unlawful presence. I thought I educated her on this several years ago during congressional testimony.”
Homan accused Ocasio-Cortez of undermining ICE’s efforts, saying, “She obviously believes that we should not enforce laws enacted by Congress. By working against ICE, she is putting those that committed a crime entering this country illegally and those that committed asylum fraud and those who ignored a federal court order of deportation over those that enforce our laws and risk their lives every day trying to keep our communities safe.”
Ocasio-Cortez responded, stating, “I am glad Mr. Homan is checking with the Department of Justice to familiarize himself with the limits of his agency’s authority in entering the homes of everyday Americans without a warrant. And I am proud to offer civil education to everyday Americans to ensure ICE’s compliance with the law, given the numerous reports of agents providing incorrect paperwork in their attempts to enter and search private homes.”
She also reminded Homan that being undocumented is a civil offense, not a criminal one, under U.S. immigration law. “I look forward to continuing our work in ensuring the safety of everyday New Yorkers while keeping families together,” she said.
The clash comes as left-wing Democrats continue to oppose the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts. However, some Democrats, including New York City Mayor Eric Adams, have shown support for deporting criminal illegal immigrants. Adams met with Homan on Thursday and agreed to allow ICE agents access to Rikers Island, despite New York City being a “sanctuary” city.
Fox News Digital reported that ICE interior arrests have surged under the Trump administration, with a 137% increase compared to the same period during the Biden administration in 2024. Arrests of individuals with criminal histories have nearly doubled, rising from 4,526 in 2024 to 8,993 in 2025.
