In this live, I break down Tom Homan’s press conference announcing the withdrawal of hundreds of ICE agents from Minnesota — and explain why the entire thing smells like damage control rather than real accountability. Homan tries to sell himself as the “reasonable” face of ICE, contrasting with past chaos, but his message collapses under its own contradictions. We’re told ICE is drawing down forces because they only need “two agents, not eight,” while simultaneously being warned that ICE “isn’t going anywhere” and will arrest anyone who gets in the way.
I walk through what was actually said, what was carefully avoided, and why this looks like a PR blitz designed to calm public outrage after violent, high-profile arrests and deaths. I also dig into the bigger question many of us have been asking: what the hell is really going on with DHS and ICE funding? After calls to congressional offices and conversations with other organizers, it’s clear that even lawmakers’ staff are struggling to explain the moving pieces.
Finally, I highlight genuinely good news that isn’t coming from ICE at all — a federal judge’s ruling that curbs ICE’s use of chemical weapons — and explain why real accountability is only coming from the courts, not press conferences. This live pulls apart the spin and lays out why nothing about this moment should make us feel safe or reassured.
