Border czar Tom Homan argued Monday that Mexico is, in effect, paying for the southern border wall, thanks to the actions the country has taken because of President Donald Trump.
In February, Trump announced a 25 percent additional tariff on goods coming in from Mexico that are not covered by the USMCA trade agreement to address the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs coming into the U.S.
The president said that if Mexico took action — sustained over time — to stem the flow of migrants and drugs, he would remove the tariff.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum responded later in the month by deploying a combined 10,000 troops to its northern and southern borders.
A reporter asked Homan and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt during Monday’s media briefing to talk about the border wall. “Can you give us an update as far as how many miles are being built today, and is Mexico paying for it, as the president said they were going to?” he asked.
Leavitt responded first, saying, “Since Jan. 1, there has been more than 85 miles of new border wall construction in various stages of that construction and planning.”
“The president has made it clear to Congress that we want to see more funding for not just border wall construction, but also to support our ICE agents and our border patrol agents who are on the ground facilitating with this mass deportation effort,” she added.
The reporter followed up, questioning, “So [Trump’s] clear that Mexico is not going to pay for [the wall]? Is that what you’re saying?”
Do approve of Donald Trump’s handling of the border?
“Let’s address that,” Homan replied. “Trump said Mexico was going to pay for the wall. They have, in a roundabout way, have they not? Putting 10,000 military on their northern and southern border. Taking the action they did [with] ‘Remain in Mexico.’ They didn’t have to do that. They’re doin’ it.”
Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” policy requires those applying for asylum in the U.S. to stay south of the border while their applications are being reviewed.
Homan pointed out that illegal cross-border traffic is at an all-time low.
Leavitt had previously said during the briefing, “Total attempted illegal crossings at the southwest border hit a record low in February, only to fall to another new record low again last month in March.”
She noted in March 2024, while Joe Biden was president, border patrol encountered approximately 140,000 illegal aliens, while in March 2025 under Trump, the number was just over 7,000. That was a 95 percent decrease from last year.
Homan said, because of this new border security, “We’re saving millions of dollars every day on detention, transportation, removal proceedings. We’ve more than made up for the cost of that wall because of the actions of Mexico.”
.@RealTomHoman NUKES a Fake News reporter: “Let’s address that. Trump said Mexico was going to pay for the wall. They have in a roundabout way, have they not? Putting 10,000 military on their northern and southern border… We’re saving millions of dollars every day on detention,… pic.twitter.com/bYJxMmkaz3
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 28, 2025
“So is Mexico helping build that wall?” the border czar asked. “Yeah, because we’re saving so much money, millions of dollars a day, that we can afford to build that wall. So actually, yes, they’re helping him build the wall.”
Monday’s briefing about border security with Leavitt and Homan was the first of multiple events this week in which the administration will be highlighting the accomplishments of Trump’s first 100 days in office.
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