By Merve Aydogan
HAMILTON, Canada (AA) - US border czar Tom Homan on Monday fired back at California’s Gavin Newsom after the Democratic governor challenged him to carry out an arrest as tensions rise over controversial immigration raids in Los Angeles.
"He's a tough guy. Why doesn't he do that? He knows where to find me," Newsom told a reporter who asked about Homan threatening arrest to him and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass if they interfere with federal immigration enforcement.
"Come after me, arrest me. Let's just get it over with. Tough guy. I don't give a damn, but I care about this community," Newsom added.
Newsom criticized the controversial raids, saying: "Let your hands off 4-year-old girls that are trying to get educated. (Get) your hands off these poor people just trying to live their lives."
Responding on Fox News, Homan said: "What I said was, if someone crosses the line, puts hands on an ICE (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement) officer, hides someone, destroys property, they can be prosecuted. No one is above the law.”
He defended the raids, arguing that ICE is targeting individuals involved in cartel-related crimes, while protesters say few if any criminals are being caught in the wide-ranging raids.
"We arrested a sexual predator, gang members, someone with an armed robbery conviction. We made LA safer," he claimed.
Homan added that Newsom – sometimes mentioned as a possible Democratic presidential candidate in 2028 – delayed declaring that people protesting the raids were doing so unlawfully. "He waited two days with the city burning and officers being assaulted. He failed that state."
"We're keeping our promise to the American people, (to) make these streets safe again," said Homan, adding that they are "not going to stop."
On Saturday, President Donald Trump signed a memo invoking his authority to deploy a minimum of 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles County after confrontations between immigration officials and protesters as well as widespread demonstrations.
The protests in Los Angeles, held in support of undocumented immigrants detained by ICE, continue and have prompted strong statements from the Trump administration.
Critics of the raids say ICE is going after law-abiding undocumented migrants, a vital part of the community and the local economy, rather than the criminals and “bad hombres” that Trump has long vowed to deport.