The White House has intentionally retreated from its in-your-face deportation approach after confrontations between federal and state officials in multiple states erupted in Minneapolis earlier this year, when video of masked agents killing protesters sparked outrage and protest.
The officials, beyond Trump, most associated with those tactics are gone. US Border Patrol official Greg Bovino has retired. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was fired.
I went to CNN’s Priscilla Alvarez, who has covered immigration for years, to understand what has and has not changed in the Trump administration’s efforts.
What has changed since Minneapolis?
WOLF: In the months since Minneapolis, it seems like there’s been a real change in how the administration is pursuing its mass deportation policy. What has happened?
ALVAREZ: To best answer your question, I think it’s good to revisit Minneapolis for one reason in particular, which is the arrival of Tom Homan.
Recall that after the death of the two US citizens by federal agents, the president dispatched Tom Homan, his border czar, to Minneapolis to course correct. When Homan arrived, there was a noticeable shift in the way that immigration enforcement operations were happening. Whereas before you had Gregory Bovino, then a top Border Patrol official with his aggressive approach to enforcement, you had Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who was ultimately the one who backed and approved Bovino’s style — all of it was quite flashy and in your face.
When Homan came in, the noticeable shift was that suddenly immigration enforcement, while still happening, was happening far more under the radar. What occurred there has been happening now across the country.
The substance of the policies has not changed. They are still being aggressive in arresting undocumented immigrants nationwide, but the way in which it’s done and the way that they showcase it has changed. Before, you had very flashy, in-your-face videos across all social media of these operations. Now, you don’t necessarily have that. It’s much more quiet, as Secretary Mullin describes it.
Who is setting the Trump administration’s immigration agenda right now?
WOLF: Is Homan effectively setting the policy, or has Mullin put his own mark on things?
ALVAREZ: The way to think about this is, first of all, Tom Homan is a veteran law enforcement official. He worked at Immigration and Customs Enforcement for many, many years, for Republican and Democratic administrations. Now, he’s in this unique position of White House Border Czar. Under Secretary Noem, the two of them did not talk to one another. They had a quite tense relationship. With Secretary Markwayne Mullin, Homan does talk to him. They actually regularly say publicly how often they are talking with one another.
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