Border Czar Tom Homan declared Thursday that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will not be deterred by escalating attacks from critics, vowing to continue its mandate of deporting undocumented individuals with criminal records. “They won’t stop the men and women of ICE,” Homan told Fox News host Harris Faulkner, emphasizing the agency’s resolve.

The Department of Homeland Security reported a 1,000% surge in violence against ICE agents during operations, highlighting heightened risks for personnel. In a recent incident on Wednesday, 29-year-old Joshua Jahn fatally shot an undocumented detainee and injured two others before taking his own life. Authorities discovered unspent bullet casings marked with the phrase “anti-ICE” at the scene, underscoring the targeted nature of the attack. No ICE agents were harmed in the incident.

Homan criticized sanctuary cities for enabling 600,000 undocumented individuals with criminal records to remain free, citing local jurisdictions’ refusal to cooperate with ICE. He argued that such policies force agents into neighborhoods to locate offenders, often resulting in the detention of nonviolent individuals alongside criminals. “In sanctuary cities, they force us to go into communities to find the bad guy and if we find them with others, they’re coming too,” Homan said. He urged authorities to allow ICE access to jails to ensure safer operations for agents, detainees, and residents.

Homan lamented the toll on law enforcement, stating he has “buried Border Patrol and ICE agents” throughout his career. He pleaded, “For God’s sake, stop the rhetoric!” calling on Americans to recognize the dedication of ICE personnel as “moms and dads” striving to protect communities.

Despite Homan’s appeals, Democratic leaders have intensified their criticism of ICE. Rep. Nikki Budzinski, D-Ill., accused agents of conducting “dangerous and reckless immigration operations,” while Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., alleged agents targeted individuals during routine activities like dropping children at daycare. Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Ill., compared ICE tactics to “Gestapo methods,” and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., accused Homan of promoting “masked ICE agents on the American people.”

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., claimed ICE stoked fear by surveilling communities, while Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., alleged federal officials targeted individuals based on ethnicity. California Governor Gavin Newsom labeled the Trump administration’s deportation efforts “authoritarian,” condemning “masked men jumping out of unmarked cars” as a violation of due process.

Homan dismissed anti-ICE protests, suggesting demonstrators lack understanding of ICE’s mission. “If you ask them why they’re protesting, they’re going to say things they heard in the fake media,” he said, urging transparency about the agency’s role.

The article concludes with no additional content, adhering strictly to the original text’s structure and details.