DHS torches ‘bamboozled’ Dems for calling ICE crackdown ‘vicious lies’
The ongoing debate over immigration enforcement in the United States intensified over the weekend as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) pushed back against criticisms from several Democratic lawmakers regarding the agency’s recent operations. Led by Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois, the Democratic delegation accused DHS of failing to focus its efforts on the most dangerous illegal immigrants, particularly in light of their “Operation Midway Blitz.” In response, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin defended the agency’s actions, asserting that they are indeed targeting “criminal illegal aliens convicted of heinous crimes,” including serious offenses such as child sexual assault and drug trafficking. McLaughlin emphasized that ICE agents are committed to protecting American communities from violent offenders, stating, “We are not going to allow these heinous criminals to terrorize innocent American children and families.”
The DHS provided specific examples of recent arrests that they claim substantiate their focus on high-risk individuals. Among those apprehended were Cristian Mendivil-Diaz, a Mexican national convicted of aggravated battery against a child, and Liam San, a Burmese national convicted of indecent liberties with a child. Other offenders included Guillermo Guevara-Serrano from El Salvador and Orville C. Weir from Jamaica, both of whom had prior convictions related to assaults on minors. Despite these claims, Illinois Democrats have labeled DHS’s public messaging as a “misinformation campaign,” arguing that the agency’s operations have inflicted fear and violence upon immigrant communities. Representative Delia Ramirez accused DHS officials of being “vicious liars” and called for accountability, while other lawmakers described the enforcement actions as a campaign of intimidation rather than legitimate law enforcement.
The clash highlights a broader national debate over immigration policy and enforcement tactics, particularly in Democratic strongholds where communities are often apprehensive about federal actions. Critics, including Representatives Jesus Garcia and Bill Foster, have voiced concerns over the impact of ICE operations on local neighborhoods, describing them as brutal and excessive. They argue that the actions taken by DHS under the Trump administration have fostered an environment of fear among immigrant populations, with reports of aggressive tactics such as helicopter surveillance and physical confrontations during arrests. As the political landscape surrounding immigration continues to evolve, the tensions between federal enforcement agencies and local politicians underscore the complexities involved in addressing public safety and community trust.
The
Department of Homeland Security
pushed back against several Democrats over the weekend, saying their claims that ICE crackdowns aren’t focused on the most dangerous
illegal immigrants
show they’ve been “bamboozled” by politics.
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., led a
news release featuring
Illinois’ Democratic delegation several days prior – in which they objected to DHS’ behavior and their claims of targeting the most egregious offenders in their ”
Operation Midway Blitz
.”
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said she needed to correct the record on such accounts, remarking the agency continues to seek out “criminal illegal aliens convicted of heinous crimes” like aggravated sexual assault of children, child pornography and drug trafficking.
“As Democrat politicians try to bamboozle the American public and assert DHS law enforcement is not targeting the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens, our brave ICE law enforcement are putting their lives on the line to remove pedophiles, drug traffickers, and other violent thugs from American neighborhoods,” McLaughlin said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital.
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“We are not going to allow these heinous criminals to terrorize innocent American children and families.”
McLaughlin then laid out the worst offenders from recent days, including new names provided exclusively to Fox News Digital.
Mexican national Cristian Mendivil-Diaz was convicted of aggravated battery of a child and domestic battery in Illinois – while Burmese national Liam San was nabbed in
ICE’s latest focus
on Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, after a conviction of indecent liberties with a child. Other offenders captured included Salvadoran national Guillermo Guevara-Serrano, convicted of aggravated assault on a minor in Dallas.
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Orville C. Weir, of Jamaica, was convicted of lewd/lascivious acts with a minor in the Fort Lauderdale area, and recently nabbed by ICE.
A Congolese illegal immigrant named Andre Lubala, convicted of aggravated assault near Philadelphia, Tennessee, was also captured by federal authorities, according to DHS.
In their original “fact-check” of DHS, Illinois Democrats branded the agency’s public posturing as a “misinformation campaign.”
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“The Trump administration continues to peddle outright lies since its unprovoked, unnecessary, and unhelpful
enforcement activity
in Illinois,” Durbin said in a statement.
“The photos and videos out of Illinois are horrific, showing unspeakable acts committed by the United States government against its own civilians, including
teargassing, pepper spraying
, racial profiling, excessive force, and physical violence.”
“Squad” member Rep. Delia Ramirez of Chicago named McLaughlin, Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino, Homeland Security Secretary
Kristi Noem
and border czar Thomas Homan as “vicious liars” who have been caught “manipulating” to hide unlawful actions.
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“I am proud to work with my colleagues of the Illinois congressional delegation to set the record straight on the terror and lawlessness that ICE and CBP have inflicted on our communities,” Ramirez said.
Rep. Jesus Garcia, D-Ill., — who has
faced scrutiny
over the timing of his retirement announcement, which allowed his chief of staff to qualify for the 2026 ballot — said he witnessed “brutality and abuses” by DHS firsthand in his heavily Hispanic Chicago district.
“My grandchild is scared because their helicopters are hovering at night over our neighborhood. People are being detained and disappeared,” Garcia said.
Rep. Bill Foster, D-Ill., who represents suburban DuPage and Will County along Chicago’s western edge, said in a statement that ICE’s operation in the Windy City is ”
not law enforcement
.”
“It is a campaign of fear and intimidation. Federal agents, under orders from the Trump administration, have repeatedly used violence against peaceful communities,” Foster said.
In a formerly-red district farther west of Chicago, Democratic Rep. Lauren Underwood added in a statement that DHS is not pursuing the worst of the worst but continuing a “horrifying campaign to spread fear in our communities, trample over our constitutional rights, and violently snatch people from our streets.”
