'I Don't Care': Tom Homan Responds After Being Branded a 'Racist' and 'Traitor' During Q&A

An event intended to be a robust discussion on immigration enforcement featuring former acting ICE Director Tom Homan devolved into a fiery confrontation after an attendee challenged him with sharp criticism. The event took place at a Turning Point USA (TPUSA) event at the University of Texas at El Paso on Thursday, 4 December.

After being branded a 'racist' and 'traitor,' Homan did not back down, telling his critic to 'grow a backbone' and defending his stance on border security amidst protests outside the venue.

Tense Confrontation at a TPUSA Event

During the TPUSA event, one man shouted 'racist' and 'traitor' at Homan. The former law enforcement official responded directly to the accusation.

'Call me what you want, I don't care,' Homan responded, according to reports. 'Why don't you grow a backbone, put a Kevlar vest and a gun on your hip and go secure this border?'

During the main Q&A portion with Homan, the same man confronted Homan again. He claimed that Patrick Crusius, the man responsible for the 2019 shooting at Walmart in El Paso, was inspired by rhetoric similar to Homan's, the Great Replacement Theory. This is a far-right belief that non-White immigrants are replacing the White population. 'Patrick Crusius, your everyday conservative, drove hundreds of miles to our city based on your belief that Hispanics are replacing the white race... and we need a scare to deter Hispanics,' the man said.

Homan rejected the premise, stating that open border was 'a mess' and it 'was by design.' He also alleged that the Biden administration left the borders unsecured to welcome more potential Democratic voters. He later reiterated his initial response to his critic, stating, 'I don't give a s**t what people think of me.'

Homan's Critic Not Alone

The man who challenged Homan was not alone. Dozens of protesters gathered on the UTEP campus to express their opposition to Homan and to the current administration.

Emil Esparza, who joined the protest, told a local news outlet that Homan's visit was 'insulting.' She added, 'I do not like the guy, I do not like the administration he comes from.'

Protesters felt that El Paso was not the best place for Homan to promote his stand on immigration. The city is located directly at the border and is home to a massive number of Latinos. Homan's advocacies include the deportation of illegal immigrants.

Homan's Stance and TPUSA's Statement

Homan's criticism of the Biden administration is a long-standing position. In January 2023, he condemned the administration for the ongoing border crisis, calling President Biden the 'first president in my lifetime to ever come into office and intentionally unsecure the border.'

In a statement following the event, TPUSA acknowledged that Homan himself chose El Paso because of its location. The organisation expressed its disappointment with how the residents perceived the event.

'As students who have maintained a non-inflammatory approach, we are disappointed to see that the city has chosen to base their opinions off of stereotypes and assumptions,' TPUSA said.

The intense exchange between Homan and his critics and the protest outside the university only served to highlight the deeply divided political atmosphere surrounding immigration in the United States.