The Border Czar countered the journalist’s question by asking him if he knew how many migrants died during the Biden era.
By Catholics for Catholics
Tom Homan, the Border Czar, accused a journalist who was interviewing him to have asked him a “loaded question” regarding how ICE treats illegal migrants currently detained and about the number of deaths.
Homan, who received the “Protector of America Award” by Catholics for Catholics for his efforts in rescuing more than 62,000 migrant children, answered the CBS correspondent with another question, asking him whether he garnered statistics about migrant deaths under the Biden administration, according to a story by Fox News.
Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News’ immigration correspondent, queried Homan about deaths in ICE custody under the Trump administration, saying that this year could set a “new record high.”
“We looked at official ICE data, sir, and found that 57 people have died in the agency’s custody so far under this administration,” Montoya-Galvez said. “In fact, somebody was just reported to have died in ICE custody today by the agency. 2026 could set a new record high in the number of detainees dying. What is being done to prevent that? And I know one partial explanation is that more people are being detained and, so tragically, more people are dying. But that can’t be the only explanation, can it be?”
Homan countered: “How many people died during the Biden administration? How many people died in custody during the Biden administration? Do you know?”
“A significant number,” Montoya-Galvez replied.
“Do you know?” Homan went on.
“But this is going to be the highest year in 2026,” Montoya-Galvez continued. “I’m just asking if the pace continues —”
“Do you know how many died during the Biden administration?” Homan pressed again.
“I don’t have the data here,” the CBS interviewer admitted.
“Of course you don’t,” Homan said. “Again, it’s another loaded question against the Trump administration.”
Homan said that ICE maintains the highest standards for detention centers.
💥NEW: Tom Homan *TURNS TABLES* on CBS News immigration correspondent and STUMPS him💥 CBS News’ Camilo Montoya-Galvez asked Homan about deaths in ICE custody under Trump, claiming they "could set a new record high." While Montoya-Galvez noted the Trump Admin was detaining far more illegal immigrants, he argued that couldn’t be the sole reason. Homan fired back by asking how many died in custody under Biden. Montoya-Galvez sat silently for 4 seconds. Homan asked again and again. Montoya-Galvez had no idea what the answer was. When he finally acknowledged he didn’t have the data, Homan retorted: "Of course you don’t." Homan asserted Montoya-Galvez’s question was an example of bias against Trump. He also defended ICE’s detention standards. Deaths in ICE detention are tragic, no matter which administration they occur under. But it doesn’t seem like there was anywhere near as much attention on this issue under Biden. Not only did Montoya-Galvez not know the data, it looks like he did not even cover ICE detention deaths under Biden. No wonder Homan’s question stumped him.
— Jason Cohen 🇺🇸 (@JasonJournoDC) October 4, 2026
“We have the highest detention standards in industry, higher than any state or federal institution. Our deaths in custody … are among the lowest of any state prison or Bureau of Prisons. Numbers are up because our population has doubled in custody. We got over 70 — I think the other day we had like 74,000 in custody,” he said.
Homan went on to argue that the quality of ICE medical care is so high to the point detainees are helped with medical issues they didn’t even know they had.
“So we have more people in custody, and we’re dealing with people from third-world nations,” he said. “Some of the first doctors they see are our doctors. And matter of fact, no one ever talks about how many lives that ICE saves in detention when they found a serious medical issue that the alien didn’t even know about and we treat. When I was ICE director, I think we spent almost a billion dollars on medical care.”
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