Tom Homan Denies ICE Targeted Parents at School Bus Stops

White House border czar Tom Homan and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security denied allegations from Senator Chris Murphy that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) targeted parents at school bus stops in Danbury, Connecticut. Murphy claimed the agency acted specifically to terrorize children, a charge Homan dismissed as political fire and hateful rhetoric during a CNN interview.

The Department of Homeland Security issued a statement calling the claims a work of fiction and false. The agency noted that officers have faced a massive increase in assaults and death threats. While DHS identified one specific arrest in Danbury involving a targeted vehicle stop of Leonel Geovanny Morocho-Arteaga, Danbury Mayor Roberto Alves reported that nearly 50 community members were detained last week. Additionally, an advocacy group alleged that four parents were arrested while school buses were present.

Homan stated that ICE focuses on arresting illegal aliens with criminal records or final removal orders. He noted that the department rescinded Biden-era sensitive-locations guidance in January 2025, which now grants officers the discretion to operate near hospitals and schools.