White House Border Czar Defends ICE’s Use of Unmarked Vehicles Amid Controversy

Tom Homan, the White House border czar, defended the use of unmarked vehicles by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during his appearance on CBS’ ‘Face the Nation.’ Moderator Margaret Brennan questioned whether officers used emergency lights while pursuing a Houston man who was fatally shot by ICE agents.

Homan argued that unmarked vehicles are essential for locating suspects and suggested that recent deaths could have been avoided if individuals complied with federal law enforcement during vehicle stops. ‘They’d be alive today if they simply complied,’ Homan stated.

Brennan expressed concerns about the use of an unmarked vehicle before an ICE officer shot Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old man in Houston. Salgado’s family believed he mistook the unmarked vehicle for robbers.

‘The family of the man in Houston said that he thought he was being robbed because it was an unmarked vehicle, not law enforcement at all,’ Brennan emphasized.

Homan responded that ICE vehicles come equipped with emergency lights, which officers activate during stops. ‘They had emergency lights. Blue lights,’ he said, mentioning his own experience with vehicles equipped similarly.

Brennan pressed Homan about the public perception, noting that available videos did not appear to show any emergency lights, and the involved officers were not wearing body cameras. ‘It is hard to substantiate some of what you are saying,’ she said.

While Homan admitted he had not reviewed the footage, he acknowledged that there would be an issue if the lights were not activated. ‘If they didn’t activate the lights, then there’s an issue there, right?’ he said.

Homan supported nationwide deployment of body cameras for ICE officers, arguing that footage would help the public understand officers’ perspectives during incidents. ‘I think body cameras are the way to go,’ he added.

ICE’s new policy will require officers to use at least one body camera to record vehicle stops. The agency is training personnel for this deployment. Salgado was not a target of the Houston operation, according to federal officials. Witnesses disputed ICE’s initial claim that Salgado rammed a federal vehicle, which led to the shooting.

ICE is also facing scrutiny for a second fatal shooting in Biddeford, Maine, where an officer shot a Colombian driver who was not an intended target. The Department of Homeland Security reported that the officer fired while fearing for public safety as the driver attempted to flee.

A third incident involved a 28-year-old Mexican national struck by a tractor-trailer in Florida after fleeing from federal agents. Investigations into these events are ongoing.