President-elect Donald Trump has announced key appointments for his incoming administration, naming Rep. Elise Stefanik as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and Tom Homan to oversee immigration enforcement.
In a statement on Monday, Trump confirmed Stefanik’s nomination, calling her “an incredibly strong, tough, and smart America First fighter.” Stefanik, a Republican congresswoman from New York and chair of the House Republican Conference, has been a close ally of Trump, earning recognition for her defense during his 2019 impeachment hearings and her objections to certifying Joe Biden’s 2020 election win.
Stefanik, representing an upstate New York district, expressed her enthusiasm, telling the New York Post, “I am truly honored to advance President Trump’s peace-through-strength leadership.” The congresswoman, first elected in 2014 as the youngest woman in Congress, has since become a key GOP fundraiser and voice in the House. Her role will require Senate confirmation.
Meanwhile, Tom Homan, the former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under Trump’s first administration, has been tapped for leadership in border and deportation operations. Trump announced Homan’s appointment via Truth Social on Sunday, saying, “There is nobody better at policing and controlling our borders.”
Speaking on Fox News Sunday Morning Futures, Homan outlined plans for a “well-targeted, planned operation” and stressed that efforts would be conducted “in a humane manner.” He alluded to Operation Aurora, a mass deportation initiative that Trump has positioned as central to his immigration policy. Homan has pledged to execute the largest deportation operation in U.S. history.
Trump’s recent rally in Raleigh, North Carolina, underscored his hardline stance on immigration. “The day after I take office, the migrant invasion ends,” Trump declared to the crowd, describing undocumented migrants as “vicious and bloodthirsty criminals” while reiterating his pledge to “kick them out of the country.”
The debate over Trump’s immigration policies has reignited concerns from experts. The International Organization for Migration previously labeled the U.S.-Mexico border the “deadliest land route for migrants worldwide.” Critics warn that inflammatory rhetoric and harsh enforcement measures could worsen humanitarian conditions.
Stefanik’s role builds on her efforts in Congress, where she has been a vocal advocate for Trump’s agenda. At the same time, Homan’s appointment signals a return to aggressive border enforcement strategies under Trump’s leadership.
