White House border czar Tom Homan on Sunday pushed back against allegations that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested parents at school bus stops in Connecticut, a claim made this week by Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.).
In an appearance on CNN's "State of the Union," Homan told host Dana Bash that over the past two years, no one could point to a single instance of ICE making arrests at elementary schools, hospitals, or churches. "ICE is real good at their job," he said.
Homan acknowledged he was not aware of any bus stop arrests but stressed that ICE's mission is to enforce the law against individuals who have been ordered removed by a federal judge. "Especially if they're a criminal or if they're a national security threat, there's no safe harbor for them in this country," he added.
Murphy had posted on X that ICE was arresting parents at bus stops in Danbury, Connecticut, and described the timing as "sinister," saying agents waited until children were on the bus so they would return home to find their parents missing. The senator said he was heading to Danbury to address the situation.
The exchange comes amid ongoing controversy over the Trump administration's strict immigration enforcement. The backlash intensified earlier this year after two U.S. citizens were killed in Minneapolis during encounters with federal immigration authorities, and similar incidents have occurred in Maine and Texas.
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) also weighed in on X, saying he was "horrified by the stories shared by activists in Danbury." He cited reports of parents detained while dropping off children at bus stops and of a three-year-old witnessing an ICE detention outside a daycare. Lamont argued that "rounding up people at random to meet a quota doesn't make our communities safer."
The dispute highlights the broader political battle over immigration policy, with Democrats criticizing the administration's tactics and Republicans defending the need for enforcement. Homan's remarks are part of a broader effort to counter narratives of indiscriminate arrests, even as the administration continues to face scrutiny over its approach.
Related coverage: Trump's Supreme Court appeal on asylum limits and a business owner's clash with a former border official illustrate the ongoing tensions surrounding immigration enforcement.
