Border czar Tom Homan accused the Federal Bureau of Investigation of leaking critical details about planned immigration raids, saying the agency is putting officers’ lives at risk.
Homan said the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are investigating the leaks, which he said authorities are quite certain are “coming from inside” the FBI.
“Some of the information we are receiving tends to lead toward the FBI,” he told Fox News host Sean Hannity on Monday night.
Homan said he spoke with Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, who told him his office believes it has identified the leaker responsible for tipping off Venezuelan migrants before a large operation in Aurora, Colorado.
He said he’s been “promised not only will this person lose their job and pension but they will go to jail.”
The leaked information let alleged members of the Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua evade capture by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authorities, who were met with mostly empty apartments and buildings, Fox News reported.
“We are sending a strong message — [the leaks are] just giving the bad guys a heads-up so they can escape apprehension,” he said.
“You’re putting officers’ lives at risk,” he continued.
“It’s only a matter of time before we walk into a place where there’s going to be a bad guy who doesn’t care. He’s going to be sitting and waiting for the officers to show up and ambush them. This is not a game.”
In a separate leaking incident, the Los Angeles Times published an article last Friday reporting that ICE is preparing for a “large-scale” immigration enforcement operation in Southern California at the end of February.
Secretary Kristi Noem of the DHS, which ICE falls under, shared the article and accused the FBI of leaking government documents to the press.
“The FBI is so corrupt,” she tweeted. “We will work with any and every agency to stop leaks and prosecute these crooked deep state agents to the fullest extent of the law.”
Sweeping immigration raids have taken place across the country — including in the Big Apple — since President Trump took office, though none have happened thus far in Los Angeles, which has seen large protests against the agency.
It is unclear if the raids will still go ahead.
Homan, meanwhile, said ICE wants to “double the manpower” for raids in sanctuary cities.
“We’re going full steam ahead on sanctuary cities,” he told Hannity. “Sanctuary cities have become the priority. Why? Because they’re protecting public safety threats and national security threats.”
