Tom Homan, the White House's border czar, vowed on Thursday to ramp up deportations in 2027 during a speech to conservative Hispanics at the Trump National Doral Miami. This area has been severely impacted by immigration operations, emptying businesses and stirring fear among residents.
Speaking at the America First Policy Institute's (AFPI) Second Hispanic Leadership Conference, Homan boasted record figures: "In the past four months, nearly 200,000 arrests have been made within the country. This is unprecedented," he claimed, as reported by Univision.
While he didn't provide specific numbers, Homan hinted that September could become the month with the highest number of deportations in the history of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), following consecutive records in June, July, and August.
He then issued a warning summarizing his message for 2027: "Just wait to see what we'll do next year. We're going to continue breaking records and fulfilling President Trump's promise of mass deportations."
Addressing criticism from Republican congress members and the Hispanic community, Homan was blunt: "A lot of people in this country hate me. I don't care," he said, adding that the government still needs to hire about 2,000 more officers to further increase operations.
The Doral Scene: A Strategic Choice
The venue for the speech was neither accidental nor neutral. Doral is home to the largest concentration of Venezuelans in the United States—approximately 27,000 residents of Venezuelan origin in a population of 76,490—and gave Trump about 60% of the votes in 2024. Many of those supporters are now facing the direct consequences of his immigration policy.
The figures illustrate the local impact's scale. According to Associated Press data, ICE carried out 49,571 arrests nationwide in July 2026, the highest monthly figure during Trump's second term. More than half of those detained that month had no criminal convictions or pending charges.
In Miami-Dade, the ICE field office recorded over 7,500 arrests just in July, with about half having no criminal background, as reported by Local 10 News.
Economic and Social Repercussions
The impact in Doral is visible just ten blocks from the hotel where Homan spoke. Small businesses in Miami report sales declines of up to 70%. Katia Ríos, from Pipo Burgers, summed it up: "People are scared to go out. It's affecting us."
Downtown Doral even canceled its Oktoberfest due to the community's fear.
Implications for Cuban Immigrants
For Cubans in South Florida, the announcement of increased operations in 2027 has direct implications. Thousands hold I-220A—supervised release—or parole with pending immigration cases, and that document does not automatically protect against deportation orders.
In 2026, there have been documented cases of Cubans attending ICE appointments and receiving removal orders, or even deportations to African countries like Liberia and Equatorial Guinea because Cuba doesn't accept all flights.
The fiscal year 2026 also ended as the deadliest in ICE's history: 37 people died in the agency's custody, compared to 23 in the previous fiscal year, according to Bloomberg Law. Among the deceased were three Cubans: Geraldo Lunas Campos, Denny Adán González, and Aled Damien Carbonell-Betancourt.
Political Tensions and Community Reactions
Political tensions within the Republican Party in South Florida are escalating. Representative Mario Díaz-Balart told Telemundo the same Thursday that the immigration policy "has been excessive," while Representative María Elvira Salazar has already accused in a campaign ad that Trump's policy goes "too far."
The Coalition of Venezuelan Societies in the USA announced it would deliver a letter to Díaz-Balart on Friday demanding immigration relief.
Doral Mayor Christi Fraga posed a question summarizing many Cubans' concerns with pending cases: "How do you return a person to Cuba? Even Cuba is not accepting some and they are ending up in Africa. What's happening?"
Homan's promises and ICE operations in communities like Doral are part of an ever-changing immigration landscape. Keep up with all the details in our U.S. Immigration section.
Frequently Asked Questions on U.S. Immigration Policies
What are the implications of increased deportations in 2027?
The heightened deportation efforts could lead to more arrests and removals of individuals without criminal records, impacting families and communities, particularly in areas with high immigrant populations like Doral.
How are small businesses in Miami affected by immigration policies?
Small businesses have reported significant declines in sales, with some experiencing up to a 70% decrease, as fear of immigration raids keeps customers away.
What challenges do Cuban immigrants face under current policies?
Cuban immigrants with pending immigration cases or supervised release may face deportations, including to countries that are not their own, due to Cuba's refusal to accept all deportees.