Illinois Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin rips Dr. Phil being at deportation op
Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin torched the Trump administration for allowing television personality Dr. Phil McGraw to tag along as border czar Tom Homan and a team of agents carried out deportation operations in Chicago last weekend.
From the Senate floor on Tuesday, Durbin scrutinized President Donald Trump’s campaign messaging that mass deportations would initially target illegal immigrants who pose national security risks – sex offenders, murderers and drug dealers, to name a few.
“If this mass deportation is truly focused on dangerous individuals — murderers, rapists, drug dealers and [the] mentally ill — Dr. Phil has as much business being on these raids as he does performing surgery,” Durbin said, according to The Chicago Sun-Times.
DR. PHIL JOINS ICE TEAM AND BORDER CZAR TOM HOMAN FOR CHICAGO DEPORTATION OPERATIONS
The first arrest Dr. Phil witnessed was of a convicted sex offender and internet predator from Thailand. (Merit TV/screengrab)
“Why is he there? In fact, he could complicate the situation. We are talking about a legal process and the possibility of criminal prosecution following. And to have this television character come along for the ride is dangerous and makes no sense.”
McGraw filmed a number of ICE arrests during the operations as part of his show on Merit TV, even interviewing a convicted sex offender and internet predator from Thailand living in the U.S. illegally until he was nabbed.
The subject frequently evaded his questions, recognizing him after seeing him on television.
Durbin said he was “disappointed” to see ICE agents arresting immigrants and asking them questions even after they had requested to speak with an attorney.
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Committee chairman Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., speaks during a hearing of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
He also expressed disdain for Trump’s “sweeping executive actions” that could allegedly “leave those arrested by ICE, including those with lawful status and U.S. citizenship, with little opportunity to even state their case and show that they belong in this country.”
He continued, “Let’s be clear, 90% of undocumented immigrants have no criminal convictions — 90% who make up more than 40% of home health care aides and children’s assistance day care — an outsized percentage of these and the agricultural workforce are undocumented. Immigrants are a key part of America’s success story.”
He added that, while he doesn’t want to see “a single dangerous person” remain in the U.S. or be allowed to “seek permanent residence,” others have abided by laws and should remain a part of America’s future.
ICE officials, under the Trump administration’s watch, have nabbed swathes of illegal immigrants in major cities across the nation, including Chicago. Deportation efforts also began in New York City earlier this week, with agents reportedly nabbing alleged Tren de Aragua ringleader Anderson Zambrano-Pacheco in the Bronx.
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Fox News’ Nikolas Lanum contributed to this report.
