US President-elect Donald Trump has announced his intention to appoint hardline former acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) director Tom Homan to his next administration.

Homan headed the agency charged with overseeing the US border during the previous Trump administration (2017-2021), during which nearly 4,000 migrant children were separated from their parents and placed in detention.

“I am pleased to announce that former ICA Director and Border Patrol stalwart Tom Homan is joining the Trump Administration and will be responsible for our Border Security,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform last night, calling him “Border Czar.”

"I have known Tom for a long time, and there is no one better placed to oversee and control our borders than him," he added, noting that he will be responsible for "all deportations and repatriations of illegal immigrants. It is a key part of his agenda, in addition to overseeing the southern and northern borders, maritime and air security."

Homan had been widely expected to be offered a border-related position, and Trump vowed to launch the largest deportation operation in the country’s history, adding “no doubt” that Homan “will do a great and long-overdue job.” Such a role would not require Senate confirmation.

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In an interview with Fox News, Homan said, "The military will not round up and detain immigrants in the country illegally, and that Immigration and Customs Enforcement will move to implement Trump's plans in a humane manner."

"It will be a targeted, well-planned operation run by ICE officers, and the men and women of ICE do this every day. They're good at it, and when we go out there, we'll know who we're looking for. We'll probably know where they'll be, and it'll be done in a humane way," he added.

Earlier this year, at the National Conservative Conference in Washington, Homan expressed frustration with news coverage of a mass deportation.

“Wait until 2025,” he said, adding that while he believes the government needs to prioritize national security threats, “nobody is off limits. If you’re here illegally, you better look over your shoulder.”

"I have my word," he said. "Trump is coming back in January, and I will be on his tail when he comes back, and I will be running the largest deportation operation this country has ever seen."

Republican Trump will officially return to the White House in early 2025, after defeating Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in the November 5 elections.

During his election campaign, Trump strongly attacked illegal immigrants, considering that they bring "bad genes" to his country and "poison" American blood.