This week, President Donald Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, said that he supported the use of ankle monitors to keep track of illegal aliens.
In a memo released last month, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) directed employees to increase the number of illegals with these devices.
“I’m not in the weeds. If that’s happening, I support it,” Homan confirmed to reporters Thursday afternoon at the White House.
“I looked at the numbers the other day on the removal orders over the last year. Fifty-one percent of those who got a removal order were in absentia, which means they didn’t show up in court. So, ankle monitors help with that,” he explained.
“Deportation will make that judgment based on criminal history, immigration history, so it’s a case-by-case basis…When I was ICE Director, having that GPS capability increased those going to court a lot. So it does make a difference, and it’s cheaper than detention, right, in some cases,” he added.
This development was first reported by The Washington Post.
Following the report, Tricia McLaughlin, the assistant secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, confirmed to ABC News that ICE ordered staff to place ankle monitors on all people enrolled in the agency's Alternatives to Detention program "whenever possible."
McLaughlin shared a post on the matter, stating that illegal aliens should self-deport if they will not wear an ankle monitor.
Yes. If you are in America illegally, you may be “shackled” with a GPS ankle monitor. If you don’t want to wear one, you should leave the country now through the @CBP Home app!
— Tricia McLaughlin (@TriciaOhio) July 24, 2025
Democracy really would die in darkness without the @washingtonpost. https://t.co/2d6V3aO6s6 pic.twitter.com/WLXmA6J3Or