Thanks for coming by. Can you please step to the mic, sir? Can we ask you about Tren de Aragua? How many people were arrested in yesterday's operations? And was this a part of this Aurora Operation promise that Trump made or was it separate arrests? Just how many were arrested yesterday?
Well, President Trump promised the American people that we're going to concentrate on Tren de Aragua. They're one of our priorities. As far as yesterday, Operation Security, the operation was leaked and again, we're going to hold those people accountable once we find out where the leaks occurred. People don't -- this isn't a game.
When operations get leaked like that, it puts our officers at great risk. It's already a dangerous job to arrest the -- we know TDA's dangerous. Everybody can agree to that, but when they get a heads up we're coming, it's only a matter of time before our officers are ambushed and -- and their job is dangerous enough.
So, we're going to address this very seriously. Land look, I -- I said on Day One, we want to be transparent with the American people. We've invited numerous media outlets along, but right now it's all about Op Sec, Operation Security. So, we may have to stop the media ride-alongs because I'm -- I'm not pointing a finger at them, but the less people that know about these operations, the safer it is for -- for our agents.
So, we're looking at that right now. I'm talking to Colonel Leavitt about the next steps in that.
Sir, Sir, Sir, Sir, why was Chicago -- Sir, why was Chicago singled out in the lawsuit today against sanctuary cities?
Look, sanctuary cities are a sanctuary for criminals. I'm glad we got Pam Bondi running DOJ now. Sanctuary cities are a sanctuary for criminals. Make that clear. No, they want -- the -- the sanctuary officials say, "Well, we want victims and witnesses of immigration and crime to be free to come to the police and without fear of us working with ICE." That is such crap, because the victims and witnesses of crime don't want the public safety threat released in their communities.
That's just ridiculous. The victims and witnesses of that crime want that bad guy locked up, too. And when he's -- when they're done, they'll give them to us. That keeps the community safer. If anybody wants an immigrant community, ask them a simple question. "Would you rather have ICE operating in the jail or the community," they're going to say they want us in a jail because these immigrant communities, many are here illegally, but they're also family people, too.
They don't want a predator in their neighborhood released back in the community. So, you know, we're going to hold sanctuary cities accountable. We're going to take them on and we'll take them to court. Again, it's -- it's -- it's everybody, every elected mayor, every elected governor, every elected city councilman, you would think they would want their community safe too and they would want public safety threats removed from their community.
That's their number one responsibility is protection of communities. Work with us. Let us in the jail to arrest and talk to the guy that you locked in a jail cell. You obviously locked him in a jail cell because he's a public safety threat. Let us talk to him. When you're done, give them to us. You don't have to hold him a minute.
I've -- I've seen some sheriffs say, "We're not going to hold them for ICE. We think it's a -- a -- a legal issue." You don't have to hold them a minute past what you know. Just let us know when you release them. Let us be there. Let law enforcement work for law enforcement.
Sir, Catholic Relief Services, Sir, -- Sir, Catholic Relief Services says it's facing drastic internal cuts. It's asking President Trump to please keep the foreign aid going, talking about Catholic Relief Services. What do you say, sir?
I got no comment on that. That's not -- I'm a border guy. This --
Do you want local police -- do you want local police to make arrests at traffic stops? Do you and the White House believe that ICE is doing enough?
I want local police to do -- do what they can to assist arresting and removing public safety threats from the communities.
Are you concerned about capacity? Some -- there's reports that some migrants are being released because ICE beds are overcapacity and local sheriffs --
I'm not worried -- there -- there are many ways to increase the bed capacity. And that's what we're working on today.
Are some detainees being released?
I was made aware of that this morning and I'll address that today, but I've been told that some were released because of -- of some health concerns that we could not handle within ICE detention. So, I have a meeting with ICE leadership today to find out exactly who was released and why. But president made it clear, we're ending catch and release.
What is -- Six percent -- 6% were released according to the press secretary yesterday? Does that go against the president's promise?
I'm going to find out. again, I just got back in town today. I heard about it this morning. So, I'll address that today. I have to get back to you on that.
Are you doing something to increase capacity? How many and what does that process look like?
Well, we've had -- we've had a -- a migrant processing center at Gitmo for decades. So, we're increasing our footprint there. It makes sense to -- to -- that's -- like we just -- I just got a question on migrant beds. That's going to be another place where we have up to 30,000 beds. And, you know, President Trump made a commitment that the worst of the worst will go to Gitmo and that's what we're concentrating right now.
How much is the [Inaudible] Mr. Homan, do you feel like ICE is doing enough? Are they meeting their -- their marks for -- for your expectations? Do you think that they're meeting the quotas?
Are we making enough arrests?
I'm sorry?
Is that the question?
Do you think ICE is doing enough --
No.
-- that they're meeting their quotas?
No, they're doing a great job. Look, let me be clear. We're doing a great job, but we've got to do more. And that's what we're looking at now. We're looking at ways to create more efficiencies to do more. That's why OpSecs is important. When we go on these operations, and the operation got leaked somehow, it makes us less successful.
Again, when you -- when you leak an operation, it means more bad guys are not being arrested, which means more bad guys are walking the streets. So, as we address that, you're going to see the arrests increase. As the aperture opens up beyond the criminals, you're going to see more arrests. I made it clear.
If you're in the country legally, you're not off the table.
ICE hasn't posted arrests -- ICE hasn't posted arrest number in several days. Is that because arrests are down? I just want to --
No, I think the arrest numbers I looked at, there -- I just talked about this morning. I think the arrests are right around over 11,000 so far since day one, on the interior 11,000, but the most important thing if you look at the border numbers, I mean, yesterday at 24 hours it -- it was less than 500 border arrests.
It wasn't too long ago, we had 11,000 arrests a day on the Biden administration. We got less than 500. I've done this since 1984. Those numbers are historic. So, the president's already had this border secured at a -- at a high rate and we're -- we're going to continue till we secure the border 100 percent.
We will -- this administration under President Trump will finally have operational control of our southern border.
Are you saying -- How long will detainees be staying at -- -- the leak came from the press or do you have any theories of where the leak originated from ahead of this operation?
That's being investigated now.
Mr. Homan, what exactly -- How long do you think [Inaudible] be staying at Guantanamo? How long will they stay there?
We're going to follow the same legal process we -- we -- we follow here, except they're staying -- they'll be bedded down at Gitmo rather than bedded down in the United States. The same legal process, the same requirements to see a judge, the same requirements they can make a claim. So, it's just a matter of where they're located, but it's a -- it's a place that we can build upon that we can send them the worst of the worst to sit at Gitmo.
And it just makes -- it makes perfect sense to me what we're doing.
Sir, visas -- Sir, visas -- Sir, visas for foreign born -- Sir, visas for foreign born Catholic priests who work legally in US parishes and Catholic social services, where does that stand right now?
I don't know -- I do not know. I'll have to get back to on that.
Texas governor Abbott has offered thousands of prison cells in Texas to house detainees. Do you plan to take him up on that offer? And also, the 1400 acres that they had offered for a detention center.
Look, I met with hundreds of sheriffs who were looking at, you know, contracts with sheriffs for their beds, which come at a -- a reduced cost. The most expensive beds we have, the one the US government owns. So, we're looking at -- we're looking at sheriffs across the country and Governor Abbott made an -- an offer yesterday.
So, we're looking at that. We're all -- all cards on the table. We're looking for as many beds as we can get. We just got to hope Congress gives us funding to -- to buy as many beds we need. And I know they're talking about that today. So, hopefully we'll get a budget. We can -- we can increase the bed capacity.
Has the Pentagon names for the prisoners at Gitmo? When do you think the -- the deportation flights to Guatemala and El Salvador start after Rubio's agreement? Mexican National Guard at the border? Do you have any idea what their mission is going to look like as part of --
The -- the same as the first -- first Trump administration. They're going to help us secure the border. I mean, President Trump has made it clear. Mexico -- Mexico has to help. Do you know guarding their southern/northern borders, it keeps Mexico safe, too. But the president has been clear, that that border is going to be secured, why partnership with Mexico is very important.
And having their people on the -- the northern border along with you know, what [Inaudible] was sent to the -- to the southern border along the border [Inaudible] that is -- it means a more secure border. We know the death threats and the -- and the violent threats being made by the cartels will help be diminished with the presence of our military, our border patrol and Mexican military.
It only makes sense. It helps secure the border. It helps protect our officers and agents. I got to run.
Sir, is the Pentagon paying for Guantanamo?
Pardon?
Is the Pentagon paying for.