Former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Thomas Homan said Thursday he wanted to “throw up” after hearing Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., claim that some people perceive ICE to be similar to the Ku Klux Klan.
“I wanted to throw up. She and me disagree on a lot of things. What she did today, I don’t think an apology would even be accepted at this point,” Homan told Fox News host Shannon Bream late Thursday.
“What she did today was disgusting. She put her political ambitions to be the president ahead of truth and ahead of the dignity of the men and women who serve this county,” he said.
Homan, who retired in June, said there was one small way that Harris, who is being floated as a 2020 contender to challenge President Trump, could try to make it right.
“What she should do for penance is go to the National Law Enforcement Memorial down the street here and look at all the fallen officers who died in the line of duty protecting this nation. These are men and women who leave the safety and security of their home — every day they put their lives on the line for this country and hundreds have lost their lives,” he said.
So far in 2018, 122 law enforcement officers have died in the line of duty. A total of 129 died in 2017.
During the Senate confirmation hearing for Homan’s replacement, U.S. Border Patrol agent Ronald Vitiello, Harris suggested that ICE was perceived in a similar way to the KKK. Harris asked Vitiello if he believed the public’s perception of ICE was creating fear and distrust in the way the KKK did last century.
“I do not see any parallels,” Vitiello said. “That puts ICE in the same category as the KKK. Is that what you’re asking me?”
