President Trump’s lead immigration official, Tom Homan, traveled to Seattle and Tacoma this week, meeting with local agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to underscore the administration’s commitment to enforcing federal immigration laws in every corner of the country.
In a strongly worded statement, he said, “We will not negligently ignore the laws that Congress has enacted, nor will we turn our backs on U.S. communities when criminal illegal aliens are plaguing their streets.”
Surprise Visit, Tense Response
Homan’s visit appears to have taken Seattle city leadership by surprise. Mayor Bruce Harrell’s office stated it was unaware of Homan’s presence, reaffirming that Seattle’s immigration policies would not bend to federal pressure.
“As I wrote to President Trump and Attorney General Bondi this week, Seattle won’t change our values and policies in response to baseless threats and bullying,” Harrell said in a statement to The Seattle Times.
ICE and CBP have thus far declined to provide any official comment on Homan’s visit or discussions held during the trip.
Trump Jr. Stokes the Tensions Further
Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., referred to Seattle and Portland as “craphole cities” during an interview on Newsmax, when discussing the administration’s strategy to send federal agents to D.C. He suggested those cities could be next — possibly opening the door to even more assertive federal intervention in local policing.
“Maybe we should roll out the tour to Portland, Seattle, the other craphole cities of the country,” Trump Jr. said. “Not because they’re crapholes but because Democrats made them so. Maybe we’re going to expand this.”
Context: A Broader Strategy to Enforce Immigration Policies
Homan’s tour reflects the Trump administration’s tougher stance on immigration, particularly through demonstrations of federal authority in cities opposed to cooperating with ICE. The administration has taken aggressive steps in Washington, D.C., deploying National Guard troops and assigning federal officers to city streets, drawing widespread criticism from local leaders and progressive groups.
Looking Ahead
Homan’s visit — coupled with public remarks from Trump Jr. — could be a prelude to the administration’s broader strategy of challenging sanctuary policies nationwide. As federal officials assert their authority over local jurisdictions, the stage is set for a heated clash over immigration enforcement and local autonomy.
With the 2026 midterms looming, this confrontation over “restoring the rule of law” in sanctuary cities could become a defining flashpoint in election-year politics.
I wish that the federal government would start arresting these mayors and governors that aid and abet criminals in our country – – – and this includes all people including illegal immigrants, all those who break the laws that have been passed by our duly elected legislature. A country without control of its borders is not a country and neither is a country that does not enforce its own laws.