During a Friday interview with CBS News immigration correspondent Camilo Montoya‑Galvez, Border czar Tom Homan pushed back hard against what he called a “loaded question” regarding deaths of illegal migrants in ICE custody. Homan emphasized that ICE operates under the highest detention standards in the nation, surpassing any state prison or federal Bureau of Prisons.
Homan challenges the premise of the question
Montoya‑Galvez asked whether the number of deaths in ICE custody had risen under the Biden administration and suggested 2026 could set a new record. Homan responded, “How many people died during the Biden administration? Do you know?” He repeated the question several times, underscoring his belief that the inquiry was designed to criticize the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement.
When the CBS journalist admitted he did not have the specific data, Homan said, “Of course you don’t. Again, it’s another loaded question against the Trump administration.” He argued that any increase in deaths is directly tied to the doubled detainee population, not to a decline in care.
ICE’s detention standards and medical care
Homan asserted that ICE maintains “the highest detention standards in industry, higher than any state or federal institution.” He noted that ICE’s death rate is among the lowest when compared to state prisons or the Federal Bureau of Prisons. “Numbers are up because our population has doubled in custody. We have over 70,000 people in custody now,” he said.
He also highlighted the quality of medical care provided to detainees, claiming that ICE doctors often identify serious health issues that detainees were unaware of. “We spend almost a billion dollars on medical care,” Homan said, adding that ICE saves lives by treating conditions that might otherwise go undetected.
Support from former Trump administration officials
The interview drew criticism from former acting assistant attorney general and Trump‑era domestic policy aide Theo Wold. Wold called the CBS line of questioning “gotcha” journalism lacking backup data. He praised the Trump administration for more than doubling enforcement compared to the Biden era, noting that the increase in detainees inevitably leads to higher absolute numbers of in‑custody deaths, “most often through no fault of ICE or its enforcement officers.”
Wold emphasized that no administration can completely eliminate in‑custody deaths, but he argued that the Trump administration’s robust enforcement and high standards make ICE one of the safest detention systems in the country.
Context and implications
The exchange underscores the ongoing partisan debate over immigration enforcement and the handling of detainee welfare. While critics continue to press for transparency on death statistics, officials like Homan and Wold maintain that the focus should be on the unprecedented surge in illegal immigration and the need for strong border security, a cornerstone of the Trump administration’s policy agenda.
As the nation watches the 2026 immigration trends unfold, the Trump administration remains committed to upholding the rule of law, protecting American communities, and ensuring that ICE operates with the highest standards of care and accountability.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
