President-elect Donald Trump has picked immigration hardliner Thomas Homan to serve as the next “border czar.”

“​​I’ve known Tom for a long time, and there is nobody better at policing and controlling our Borders. Likewise, Tom Homan will be in charge of all Deportation of Illegal Aliens back to their Country of Origin. Congratulations to Tom. I have no doubt he will do a fantastic, and long awaited for, job,” Trump announced on his Truth Social social media account.

Trump went on to say that the role of “border czar” is responsible for “the Northern Border, all Maritime, and Aviation Security,” in addition to the U.S. southern border with Mexico. Tom is the best at police and managing our borders, and I’ve known him for a long time.”

Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris, known as the “border czar” in the Biden administration, to win his second term in office less than a week ago.

Trump made border security a key component of his first term in office and continued to do so throughout his campaigns in 2020 and 2024.

According to Homeland Security’s website, the number of illegal border crossings increased throughout the Biden administration, reaching about 3 million in fiscal year 2024. Since FY 2021, around 10.8 million illicit encounters have occurred.

Trump pledged during his campaign to secure the border using a tough stance once more.

“It’s going to be a well-targeted, planned operation conducted by the men of ICE. The men and women of ICE do this daily. They’re good at it,” Homan said during a Fox News interview on Sunday, adding that deportations would be a “humane operation.”

During his campaign, Trump frequently claimed that illegal immigrants were “poisoning the blood of our country” by flooding the country with gangs and drugs, as well as serving as a hub for human trafficking and smuggling.

“They’re rough people, in many cases from jails, prisons, from mental institutions, insane asylums,” Trump said. “You know, insane asylums, that’s ‘Silence of the Lambs’ stuff