By Sarah N. Lynch
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The TV host referred to as “Dr. Phil” embedded with U.S. immigration enforcement officers throughout an operation in Chicago on Sunday, defending President Donald Trump’s deportation effort because the crackdown neared the tip of its first week.
Phil McGraw, referred to as “Dr. Phil” for the eponymous American tv collection centered on psychological well being, adopted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and different federal brokers in the course of the motion, in accordance with his X account and two sources acquainted with the matter.
McGraw, who spoke at a Trump marketing campaign occasion in October, stated in a publish on X on Sunday that ICE aimed to choose 270 “high-value targets”, indicating it was a focused operation, and defended the strategy.
“They’re not sweeping neighborhoods like people are trying to imply,” he stated.
Trump, a Republican, took steps to launch a wide-ranging immigration crackdown after taking workplace on Jan. 20, sending U.S. troops to the border and empowering immigration brokers to choose up extra non-criminals. The Trump administration final week deputized legislation enforcement brokers with a number of Justice Division companies to conduct immigration enforcement to complement ICE efforts.
Brokers with the Bureau of Alcohol, , Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and U.S. Marshals Service have been granted the authority, the Trump administration stated final week.
Along with Dr. Phil, Appearing Deputy Lawyer Common Emil Bove publicized his journey to observe DOJ brokers assist immigration enforcement.
“This morning, I had the privilege of observing brave men and women of the department deploying in lockstep with DHS to address a national emergency arising from four years of failed immigration policy,” Bove stated in an announcement, including that the deputized companies, the FBI, and federal prosecutors would all be engaged on the trouble.
Senior Justice Division officers aren’t usually current to watch legislation enforcement operations in real-time, present and former division officers say.
A Justice Division official stated that the primary arrest in Chicago that Bove noticed concerned an immigrant residing illegally within the U.S. who had “killed a 19-year-old woman while driving under the influence.”
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which is a part of DHS, stated it partnered with the DOJ for “enhanced targeted operations” in Chicago on Sunday aimed toward preserving public security however didn’t present additional particulars.
The workplace of Chicago’s Democratic Mayor Brandon Johnson didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
ICE made 538 arrests nationwide on Thursday, White Home spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt stated, signaling an uptick from averages over earlier years.
The company’s each day common for arrests was 311 in fiscal 12 months 2024 and 467 in fiscal 12 months 2023.
