Former U.S. Border Patrol Commander at Large Gregory Bovino told Newsmax on Monday the Trump administration could remove Haitians who lose Temporary Protected Status "in a matter of weeks" if immigration authorities rely on broader mass deportation operations instead of individual targeted arrests.
Bovino made the comments on "Carl Higbie FRONTLINE" after the Supreme Court last week allowed the Trump administration to move forward with ending TPS for thousands of Haitians and Syrians while litigation continues.
The decision permits the administration to revoke protections that allow recipients to live and work legally in the United States.
Asked about the logistics of arresting a single individual, Bovino said targeted enforcement can require significant manpower depending on the person's threat level.
"When we talk logistics and going after that one person, that's what you call targeted enforcement," Bovino said.
"If he's got a higher threat level, you're going to send a tactical team in there with multiple team members ... and if it's not, maybe five or six ICE agents to set up on the residence or the location and then take that individual into custody," he said.
Bovino said immigration agents can also arrest other illegal aliens encountered during such operations.
"The one good thing about this ... is when you do set up on a residence, everybody else, all other illegal aliens anywhere near, at, or in that residence can be arrested also," he said.
"So 370,000 Haitians — guess how many more illegal aliens we can get when we look at it in terms of mass deportations, not just the Haitians, but everybody else that is even anywhere near that residence?
"So that's where you make your money."
Asked how long it would take to remove roughly 370,000 Haitians if the effort became the administration's top priority, Bovino contrasted targeted enforcement with broader operations.
"Well, at the current rate of targeting, with just targeting, that's going to take a while," he said, adding, "But when you utilize those mass deportation tactics, we could do that in a matter of weeks."
The interview also touched on criticism that the State Department advises Americans not to travel to Haiti.
Bovino backed comments from Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who said the advisory is intended for U.S. citizens rather than Haitians returning home.
"We American citizens come first, not illegal aliens," Bovino said. "We can send illegal alien Haitians back to their country of origin.
"Those are not American citizens." Bovino added that critics who conflate the two are being "disingenuous at best, and a flat-out lie at worst."
Bovino also criticized Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and former Gov. John Kasich for opposing the removal of Haitians, arguing that many are receiving public assistance.
"Why do you want to keep Haitians on welfare in Ohio?" he said. "Absolute stupidity."
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