Homan is a great choice to enforce immigration law

OPINION:

President-elect Donald Trump’s decision to bring on Tom Homan, the former head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as border czar is a powerful step in the right direction for border security.

Mr. Homan has a history of tough, no-nonsense enforcement, and his expertise is needed now more than ever. But as the incoming administration prepares to lead the nation, it must remain committed to securing the border as a nonnegotiable prerequisite separate from and before considering any immigration reform.

Since moderates attempted to tie Mr. Trump’s border wall to amnesty in 2017, the Texas Public Policy Foundation has consistently called for requiring border security as a prerequisite before any immigration reform is considered.

This was one of the missed opportunities of the Reagan administration. The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 was billed as a grand bargain combining border security with a “pathway to citizenship” — really, an amnesty program for millions of illegal aliens.

The grand bargain proved no bargain at all, as amnesty went into effect while security measures were not properly enforced. And efforts to require employment verification of citizenship left the door open to rampant fraud.

The amnesty programs of the 1980s only led to an increase in illegal immigration and the push for more amnesty. And if Republicans even consider the idea of compromising on reform before we have real security, this problem will persist.

Over nearly four years under the Biden-Harris administration, we’ve seen record-breaking numbers of illegal border crossings.

And with that wave of illegal crossings has come a wave of problems for the nation.

As Mr. Homan wrote in an op-ed two years ago, as of then, 56 foreign nationals on the terrorist watch list attempted to enter the country. That number is now in the hundreds. Fentanyl smuggled across the border has led to a nationwide surge in overdoses since the Trump administration, more than doubling across the country and quadrupling in Texas.

What’s more, innocent civilians are dying at the hands of gangs of illegal aliens such as Tren de Aragua.

Two such illegal aliens have been charged with murder, kidnapping and aggravated sexual assault in the June 16 death of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungary in Houston. This crisis deserves nothing less than a quick, firm and bold response from the incoming Trump administration.

The recent election was a clear mandate from voters: They want a secure border, and they’ve given Republicans control of the House, Senate and White House to make it happen.

Republicans have a rare opportunity to take decisive action. Compromising on border security, especially when paired with some form of amnesty, would repeat the mistakes of the Reagan era.

History shows us that combining these issues leads to incomplete solutions and ultimately allows more illegal immigration and insecurity to take root.

If we’re going to solve the problems of our immigration system, the United States must first establish that we will not compromise on border security and the rule of law. Without that first, any talk of reform is meaningless.

Only when we have achieved a secure border can we begin discussing the best ways to improve the legal immigration system, streamline processes and provide viable options for those who wish to enter the country lawfully as best meets the needs and interests of the United States and its people.

Now is the time for conservatives to stand firm. They owe it to the voters who entrusted them with this responsibility. By focusing on securing the border first, Mr. Homan and Mr. Trump can lead the way to a safer, stronger America.

• Robert Henneke is executive director and general counsel at the Texas Public Policy Foundation.