President Donald Trump's "border czar" insisted late Thursday that the administration has done nothing wrong despite multiple rebukes from judges blasting the president's Justice Department.
Tom Homan repeatedly insisted on "The Source" with anchor Kaitlan Collins that officials followed the judge’s written orders and that no one in the administration did anything wrong.
"We heard from President Trump today, essentially telling reporters, 'Talk to the lawyers,' when he was asked about Judge [James] Boasberg's ruling that probable cause exists to hold officials in criminal contempt, potentially for violating his orders. Do you think that any of your colleagues have violated orders here?" Collins asked.
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"No, I don’t. I think we followed the judge’s order. I think we’ll let that litigate in court. DOJ is fighting that in court, but I don’t think we did anything wrong," he maintained.
Collins pressed him, however, asking whether Homan was worried about any of the conversations regarding Boasberg saying, "Turn the deportation flights around," as the flights continued onto El Salvador. In response, Homan insisted the flights were already in the air and over international waters.
"So I don’t think we did anything wrong. According to his written order, I think we did everything by the numbers," he said, doubling down on the administration's insistence it committed no wrongdoing in flouting the judge's order.
But Collins didn't let Homan off the hook.
"And so you’re not ultimately worried here that anyone will be held in contempt or anything like that, as they continue this fact-finding investigation overall on this effort?" she questioned.
Homan didn't flinch.
"No, I’m not concerned about it. I mean, fact-find all they want. I think the evidence is clear. I think DOJ has made a strong case, and we’ll let it play out in court. I mean, as I sit here today talking to you, I don’t think anybody in the administration did anything wrong. I don’t think we actually violated a court order."
Collins immediately launched into a specific court order that the Trump administration help "facilitate" the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland father who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador.
"The other judge here, the federal judge in Maryland, Judge Zins, has been criticizing the government this week for what she says is doing, quote, 'nothing to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the United States.'" Are you personally aware of any steps that have been taken to facilitate his return to the United States?" Collins asked.
At this, Homan insisted Abrego Garcia is now "home."
"Look, I think he’s a citizen of El Salvador. He’s in El Salvador. He’s home. He’s an illegal alien with a final order of removal. He’s an MS-13 member, which is now classified as a terrorist. So we removed an illegal alien MS-13 member who has a final order of removal issued by an immigration judge to his homeland."
Homan later added that even if Abrego Garcia was returned to the United States, he's not out of hot water with the administration.
"And look, even if he came back, people think he’s going to be released and go back to—no, he’s going to be detained, and he’s going to be removed as per the order of removal, either to El Salvador or another country.
