Former Border Official Tom Homan Challenges Interviewer on Migrant Death Data, Accuses of 'Loaded Question'

Former border official Tom Homan accused a journalist of posing a "loaded question" during a recent interview concerning the treatment of migrants held in detention. Homan pressed the interviewer to provide statistics on migrant deaths that occurred during the current administration's tenure.

The network's immigration correspondent had questioned Homan about fatalities in immigration custody during the Trump administration, suggesting that the current year could potentially reach a new peak in such deaths.

"We examined official agency data, sir, and discovered that 57 individuals have died in the agency's custody so far under this administration," the correspondent stated. "In fact, someone was just reported to have died in agency custody today. The year 2026 could establish a new high in the number of detainee deaths if the current pace continues. What measures are being taken to prevent this? I understand that one partial explanation is an increase in the detained population, tragically leading to more deaths. However, that cannot be the sole explanation, can it?"

Homan immediately responded, "How many people died during the Biden administration?" A prolonged silence followed. He then reiterated, "How many people died in custody during the Biden administration? Do you know?"

"A significant number," the correspondent replied.

"Do you know?" Homan pressed further.

"But this year is projected to be the highest by 2026," the correspondent continued. "I'm merely asking if the trend persists—"

"Do you know how many died during the Biden administration?" Homan insisted again.

"I do not have that data here," the interviewer conceded.

"Of course, you don't," Homan retorted. "Again, it's another loaded question aimed against the Trump administration."

Defending Detention Standards and Care

Homan maintained that the agency upholds the highest standards for its detention facilities.

"We operate with the highest detention standards in the industry, surpassing those of any state or federal institution. Our in-custody deaths... are among the lowest compared to any state prison or Bureau of Prisons facility. The numbers are higher because our detainee population has doubled. We had over 70—I believe it was around 74,000 individuals in custody the other day," he explained.

Homan further argued that the quality of medical care provided by the agency is so exceptional that detainees often receive treatment for health issues they were previously unaware of.

"Therefore, we have a larger number of individuals in custody, and we are managing people from developing nations," he elaborated. "For some, our doctors are the first medical professionals they encounter. In fact, no one ever discusses how many lives the agency saves in detention when a serious medical condition, unknown to the individual, is discovered and treated. When I served as the agency director, I believe we allocated almost a billion dollars for medical care."

He drew a comparison between the agency's detention facilities and federal or state prisons.

"Again, it is unfortunate and tragic whenever anyone dies. I do not wish to see anyone perish, but we make every effort to provide them with the best medical care possible. And once more, we maintain the highest detention standards," Homan stated. "I believe if you compare deaths in custody to state prisons or federal penitentiaries, we are among the lowest. At least the last time I reviewed the data—which was probably a couple of years ago—we were the lowest."

Critique of Modern Journalism

Homan concluded his remarks with a critique of contemporary journalism.

"This is what passes for journalism in modern America — a reporter comes prepared with gotcha questions but no backup data. The purpose isn’t to inform the public (which ought to be the goal of journalism), it’s to manufacture ideological sound bites for the nightly news."

A commentator, Wold, also weighed in, stating:

"No one wants in-custody deaths, but no administration can avoid them. The Trump Administration has more than doubled Biden-era enforcement, which means more individuals detained and more in-custody deaths, most often through no fault of ICE or its enforcement officers."