When pressed, Homan underscored that every ICE agent wears “insignia” before conceding that he did not “particularly like masks.”<\/p>\n

“But the ICE officers need the mask because their families are being doxed,” he said. “Believe me, I know because I’m a victim of it. Their families are being doxed, their children are being doxed, their families have been put in harm’s way. But no one’s asked the question, why didn’t they get all these legislators out there [who] want to pass laws that prevent ICE wearing masks? Meanwhile, I don’t see any legislation [about] antifa unmasking or people [who] do these violent counter protests.”<\/p>\n

Homan reiterated that ICE agents “are doing what they got to do to make this country safe again,” and because of that, he supported their wearing masks.<\/p>\n

During a Wednesday press conference, Bowser told reporters that “masked ICE agents” have “not worked” and called National Guard <\/a>members deployed from other states inefficient amid Trump’s federal takeover of Washington.<\/p>\n

“What we know is not working is a break in trust between police and community, especially with new federal partners in our community,” she said. “We know having masked ICE agents in the community has not worked, and National Guards from other states has not been an efficient use of those resources.”<\/p>\n

During his own press conference on Thursday, Homan confirmed that there are “discussions” about turning Naval Station Great Lakes, north of Chicago, into an ICE operation center before a reported multiagency immigration enforcement crackdown after Labor Day.<\/p>\n

“The planning is still being discussed, so maybe by the end of today,” he said when asked how soon ICE or other federal law enforcement agents<\/a>, including the National Guard, could be there.<\/p>\n

Homan declined to provide details regarding how many federal agents or National Guard members could be at the base, but did add that “there will be a large contingent.”<\/p>\n

Homan also defended Alligator Alcatraz’s standards and environmental impact after a federal judge on Thursday decided not to pause her order requiring the immigration detention center in Florida’s Everglades to be closed despite a pending Trump administration appeal.<\/p>\n

TRUMP LEVERAGES WHITE HOUSE POWER WITH RED-STATE REDISTRICTING AND MAIL BALLOT PUSH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

“I went down there,” Homan said. “I walked through detention areas where people sleep and live. I saw a clean facility, a well-maintained facility. I even went to the cafeteria. I actually looked at what they were serving for lunch that day, and opened it up, and looked at it, and it was good food.”<\/p>\n

He continued, “I was briefed by the person running the facility that all the waste is removed from that facility every day, taken off-site, and removed from the facility. And as far as the complex itself, it’s built on existing infrastructure, the runways and airports already there.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n