The Daily Caller has an interesting piece out today on the backstory behind Border Czar Tom Homan’s appointment to run ICE operations in Minnesota.
In short, Trump sees a bit of dysfunction related to the response to the shooting incidents and believes Homan can “bring more gravity and leadership to the situation.”
Here’s what they wrote on X:
NEW from me on the decision to send Tom Homan into Minnesota:
– Insiders say that Homan has the respect of officers and more leadership was needed on the ground, a strength of his that probably led to him being dispatched.
– Sources confirmed that Noem and Homan have hardly spoken since the start of the admin. But Trump and his border czar do have a good relationship. In fact, Trump himself never sidelined Homan and has continued to rely on him.
– Another source told the Caller that it seems DHS communications response to ongoing ICE incidents has been overembellished and too quick on the trigger. There is a belief that Homan and his experience may bring more gravity and leadership to the situation.
NEW from me on the decision to send Tom Homan into Minnesota:
– Insiders say that Homan has the respect of officers and more leadership was needed on the ground, a strength of his that probably led to him being dispatched.
– Sources confirmed that Noem and Homan have hardly…
— Reagan Reese (@reaganreese_) January 27, 2026
Here’s more from the article:
Drama between Border Czar Tom Homan and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has been trickling into the media for months, and President Donald Trump’s decision to send the former to Minnesota is adding fuel to the fire.
In recent weeks, it’s been reported that Homan had been sidelined by Noem, in addition to U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott, and that the two had such an icy relationship that they barely spoke. Other reports indicated that Noem, longtime Trumpworld operative Corey Lewandowski, and Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino have instituted a mass shakeup affecting longtime ICE leaders, including Homan and ICE Director Todd Lyons.
Monday, it was reported that Bovino and some of his agents would be leaving Minnesota after reaching a “mutual agreement.” DHS Spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said late Monday that Bovino had not been relieved of his duties after rumors began circulating of his demotion.
One source told the Caller that Noem has hardly spoken to Homan since the start of the administration, and that she’s the one who has been micromanaging immigration enforcement procedures.
Another source said Homan has the respect of officers and more leadership was needed on the ground, a strength of his that probably led to him being dispatched. They confirmed Noem and Homan do not have a good relationship, but that Trump and his border czar do. A third source confirmed that Trump and Homan are still working well together.
Over the last month, the DHS communications response to ongoing ICE incidents has been overembellished and too quick on the trigger, one of the sources said. There is a belief that Homan and his experience may bring more gravity and leadership to the situation.
“It’s bizarre given he’s a goldmine of experience. He doesn’t care about limelight, power, or titles — he just wants to get shit done. She’s armed with an arsenal of experience,” they said of the internal strife.
“Tom Homan, Rodney Scott, and Todd Lyons all bring decades of real law enforcement under their belts — experience most leaders would be lucky to lean on,” the source added, noting that they seem to be taken for granted.
“He’s really going out there to get some work done,” a White House official told the Caller. They asserted that Homan, Noem and all other officials are on the same page in enacting the president’s mission.
The official added that Homan was uniquely suited to intervene in Minnesota given the limited scope of his job, while Noem is also overseeing agencies like FEMA responding to winter storm effects.
“The President and the American people trust Tom Homan because he’s been doing this work for over 30 years, and you can hear it the second he opens his mouth,” a source familiar with the dynamics told the Caller.
I really like this move by Trump and he’s side-stepping the bad relationship between Noem and Homan by making Homan report to him and him alone. I look forward to seeing what Homan does with Minneapolis in order to bring it and the state back on mission. He’s clearly got the backing for President Trump, who is working himself to get Minnesota officials to begin working with ICE.
People suggested today that Trump took Minnesota from Bovino and gave it to Homan. Looks to me like he really took it from Kristi Noem.