Homan and Kennedy tout Trump admin policies at Arizona Capitol
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President Trump's border czar Tom Homan outside the White House in March, touted the administration's illegal immigration and border security policies to the Arizona Legislature. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Two high-profile members of President Trump's administration — border czar Tom Homan and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — visited the Arizona Capitol on Tuesday.
The big picture: Homan's trip comes as the administration continues its immigration and border security crackdowns, which he said have drastically reduced the number of people entering the country illegally.
State of play: Homan told lawmakers and guests that Trump gave him three priorities — secure the border, carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history, and find hundreds of thousands of missing migrant children brought into the country.
- Homan touted a 94% drop in illegal border crossings under Trump — a statistic reflected in U.S. Customs and Border Protection's reported decrease from February 2024 to February 2025.
- But "I'm not satisfied … I want more," he said of the administration's immigration arrests from the dais as he addressed the Arizona Legislature.
Zoom in: Homan said Trump has prioritized deporting people who are public safety or national security threats, but "if we find a non-criminal illegal alien, they're coming, too."
- "If you're in the country illegally, you should be looking over your shoulder ... It's a crime," he warned.
- Homan also praised Trump for designating drug cartels as terrorist organizations, saying the president will "wipe them off the face of the earth in the next couple years."
The other side: No Democratic lawmakers stayed for the speech, per House minority spokesperson Robbie Sherwood.
- 19 lawmakers walked out, and the rest never showed up for Homan's address.
Catch up quick: Senate President Warren Petersen (R-Gilbert) sponsored legislation dubbed the "Arizona ICE Act."
- The bill would ban local governments from preventing cooperation with federal immigration officials, and would require county jails and state prisons to hold people for up to 48 hours at the request of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
- If the state House approves the bill, it will go to Gov. Katie Hobbs, who is likely to veto it.
The intrigue: Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was also in Phoenix on Tuesday, posting on X that she was accompanying ICE agents and Arizona law enforcement to arrest "human traffickers" and "drug smugglers."
- "We're going to make America safe," she said in a video from the Valley while holding a gun and donning a bullet-proof vest.
Meanwhile, Kennedy held a press conference in the Senate to tout legislation inspired by Kennedy's "Make America Healthy Again" movement.
- One bill would prohibit schools from serving students "ultraprocessed" foods containing certain chemical additives. "What we're doing to our children is criminal, and we have to stop," Kennedy said.
- The other would bar food stamp recipients from using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to purchase soda.
- The ultraprocessed foods bill has bipartisan support and passed the House unanimously, while the SNAP legislation is supported by Republicans and opposed by Democrats. Both bills are headed to Hobbs' desk for signature after the Senate gave final approval Tuesday.
Zoom out: Kennedy's visit was part of a tour of the Southwest U.S. that also includes trips to New Mexico and Utah.