Homan dodges inquiries about Noem's 'right people voting' remarks: 'A question for the secretary'

WASHINGTON, DC: Border czar Tom Homan declined to defend Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem when pressed about her recent comments suggesting the need for “the right people voting” to elect “the right leaders.”

Noem made the remarks during a press conference in Arizona on Friday, February 13, while promoting the 'SAVE Act', a proposal that would require voters to show identification at the polls.

Her comments quickly drew scrutiny over whether the Department of Homeland Security was straying into election-related territory beyond its mandate.

Tom Homan sidesteps Jake Tapper on DHS voting controversy

Appearing on CNN's 'State of the Union' on Sunday, Homan was asked by host Jake Tapper what Noem meant by saying that the DHS was being “proactive” about who votes and who gets elected. “That’s not really immigration enforcement or DHS responsibility,” Tapper said.

Homan declined to interpret or defend the statement. “I don’t know, that’d be a question for the secretary,” he responded. “If I had to guess, probably only those legally eligible to vote would vote, but I have not talked to the secretary about those statements.”

Tapper then shifted to broader concerns about DHS credibility, citing Noem’s recent visit to Minneapolis, where she defended aggressive enforcement actions by ICE and Border Patrol agents.

Asked whether some Trump administration officials were creating a credibility problem for DHS, Homan said he had ordered additional internal affairs officers to Minnesota to review allegations of misconduct.

“We’ll let internal affairs and the bureau investigate these allegations,” he said. “That’s the right thing to do.”

Tom Homan insists on 'one team, one fight'

Despite acknowledging internal disagreements, Homan rejected the idea that divisions were weakening the administration.

“I’m not going to let the media divide this administration,” he said. “Do me and Secretary Noem agree on everything? No. We have discussions and differences of opinion. That’s what makes a strong team.”

Homan added that differing views ultimately strengthened policy outcomes, insisting that the administration remained aligned behind President Donald Trump’s border agenda.

“In the end, it’s one team, one fight,” he said, adding that he would continue carrying out what the president promised the American people.

Kristi Noem's voting comment sparks debate

At a Friday press conference in Arizona, Noem described elections as “critical infrastructure” within DHS’s responsibilities and said that the department had been "proactive" in making sure "that we have the right people voting, electing the right leaders to lead this country.”

Noem did not clearly define who qualified as the “right people,” and her language prompted widespread criticism from commentators, lawmakers and social media users who said that the idea of choosing who votes and who wins was undemocratic and beyond DHS’s authority.

She framed her remarks around the reliability of elections and defended efforts such as requiring photo ID for voters, but the phrasing fueled concerns about the department’s involvement in electoral outcomes.