Jim Desmond Cozied Up To Trump Administration Officials And Their Allies To Drum Up Fear About The Border

2025: A San Diego Columnist Wrote That Desmond “Leaned More To The Right As Supervisor, Largely Supporting Trump On Such Issues As Immigration”

2025: Michael Smolens Column: “Desmond, Who Appeared To Be A Moderate, Pro-Business Mayor, Has Leaned More To The Right As Supervisor, Largely Supporting Trump On Such Issues As Immigration And Covid Policies.” “Republican Supervisor Jim Desmond also is termed out of his North County District 5, where he was re-elected in a landslide in 2022, even though the district has been trending Democratic. […] Desmond, who appeared to be a moderate, pro-business mayor, has leaned more to the right as supervisor, largely supporting Trump on such issues as immigration and COVID policies.” [San Diego Union-Tribune, Editorial, 7/4/25]

January 2025: Desmond Spoke Enthusiastically And Posed For A Photo With White House Border Czar Tom Homan

January 20, 2025: Desmond Spoke Enthusiastically About His Meeting With Tom Homan. “When I met with Tom Homan about a week ago, I asked him, Are you going to secure the border? He looked me straight in the eye and said, On Day 1!” [Supervisor Jim Desmond, Twitter, 1/20/25]

Image: see original report, p. 43

[Supervisor Jim Desmond, Twitter, 1/20/25]

January 10, 2025: Desmond Posed For A Photo With Tom Homan. “I had a great conversation with Tom Homan about border security, the thousands of street releases we've seen in San Diego County, and—most importantly—his plan to secure the border on Day 1! We must protect our communities, and I’m confident Tom has the leadership to get it done!” [Supervisor Jim Desmond, Twitter, 1/10/25]

Image: see original report, p. 44

[Supervisor Jim Desmond, Twitter, 1/10/25]

• Desmond: “I’m Confident Tom [Homan] Has The Leadership To Get It Done!” “I had a great conversation with Tom Homan about border security, the thousands of street releases we've seen in San Diego County, and—most importantly—his plan to secure the border on Day 1! We must protect our communities, and I’m confident Tom has the leadership to get it done!” [Supervisor Jim Desmond, Twitter, 1/10/25]

Trump Tapped Tom Homan To Be The White House “Border Czar.” “President-elect Donald Trump’s picks to serve in top jobs in his next administration have generally stayed off the airwaves to avoid any verbal slipups that might jeopardize their chances at getting confirmed by the Senate. Not so with Tom Homan. Homan, who was the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement during Trump’s first term in office, has been tapped to be the new White House ‘border czar.’ The job does not require Senate confirmation, meaning Homan has the freedom to go on cable news and conservative media and promote Trump’s agenda.” [NBC News, 12/11/24]

September 2024: Desmond Hosted JD Vance During A Campaign Stop At The Southern Border

September 2024: Desmond Said He Welcomed JD Vance To The Southern Border. “Yesterday, I had the privilege of welcoming Senator JD Vance to the Southern Border, where I showed him firsthand the severe impact of our broken immigration system. I truly appreciate the Senator’s commitment to understanding how current open border policies are affecting our region. Over the past year, more than 155,000 migrants have been street released in San Diego County alone. Millions of local taxpayer dollars have been diverted to cover the costs associated with illegal immigration—money that could have been better spent on our residents and vital services. Our border facilities are now beyond capacity, placing an immense strain on our resources.” [Supervisor Jim Desmond, Twitter, 9/7/24]

Image: see original report, p. 45

[Supervisor Jim Desmond, Twitter, 9/7/24]

Desmond Wrote About Vance’s Visit On His County Supervisor Website. “This past Friday, I welcomed Senator JD Vance to the southern border, where I showed him firsthand the severe impact of our broken immigration system. I appreciate the Senator’s commitment to understanding how current open border policies affect our region.” [Supervisor Jim Desmond, Senator JD Vance Visits Southern Border, accessed 4/24/26]

Desmond Posted A Photo Of Himself And Vance At The Southern Border. [Supervisor Jim Desmond, Senator JD Vance Visits Southern Border, accessed 4/24/26]

Image: see original report, p. 46

[Supervisor Jim Desmond, Senator JD Vance Visits Southern Border, accessed 4/24/26]

September 2024: Desmond Testified Before Congress At A Hearing About Migrants And The Border That Immigration Had Strained San Diego County’s Resources

September 2024: Desmond Testified Before Congress At A Hearing Titled, “A Country Without Borders: How The Biden-Harris Open-Borders Policies Have Undermined Our Safety And Security.” “County Supervisor Jim Desmond testified before the House Committee on Homeland Security in Washington on Wednesday, telling lawmakers that the arrival of so many migrants — many of them asylum seekers — has strained San Diego County’s resources and raised concerns about how border-crossers entering the U.S. are vetted for security threats. The hearing, titled ‘A Country Without Borders: How the Biden-Harris Open-Borders Policies Have Undermined Our Safety and Security,’ included former San Diego Chief Patrol Agent Aaron Heitke, the Santa Cruz County sheriff and the mother of a woman who was allegedly killed by an undocumented immigrant.” [San Diego Union-Tribune, 9/18/24]

• VIDEO: Desmond Testified Before The House Homeland Security Committee. [C-SPAN, House Hearing on Biden Administration Border Policy, 9/18/24] (VIDEO)

Desmond Told Committee Members That San Diego County Spent $6 Million To Operate A Temporary Migrant Center, Which Had To Close When Funding Ran Out. “Desmond, a Republican who represents North County areas, pointed to the estimated 155,000 newly arrived migrants who were released onto the streets of San Diego County after being processed by the U.S. Border Patrol from September 2023 to June. He shared with committee members how the county spent $6 million to operate a temporary migrant center to assist people who had recently been released and were on their way to their final destinations — but the facility had to close earlier than expected when funding ran out earlier this year.” [San Diego Union-Tribune, 9/18/24]