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Dr. Phil McGraw recently joined Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Chicago during their targeted operations to apprehend illegal immigrants with criminal backgrounds.
The television personality shared footage on X showing his participation in an operation that led to the arrest of a Thai national previously charged with sex crimes against minors. The individual had been released due to Chicago’s sanctuary city policies.
McGraw emphasized the specific nature of these operations, explaining that they target known offenders rather than conducting indiscriminate neighborhood sweeps. He described the individuals being pursued as “known criminals and terrorists,” including murderers, child traffickers, and those who have committed serious offenses both in their home countries and after entering the United States.
"We are SAVING CHILDREN…. Every sexual predator we arrest means more safe children" …. Dr Phil is embedded with Tom Homan for ICE operations in Chicago
⚠️"You can see what we did today, we are NOT sweeping neighborhoods, this is TARGET enforcement operation. We've spent a… pic.twitter.com/rkhlaJAVwP
— Culture War (@CultureWar2020) January 27, 2025
During one particular operation, which McGraw characterized as “a pretty high risk mission,” they encountered an undocumented immigrant who acknowledged his prior arrest for child-related sex crimes but had never been deported.
The television host highlighted the work of Tom Homan, who served as border czar during the Trump administration, noting that their objectives focused on apprehending criminals and securing the border, rather than targeting random individuals based on ethnicity or appearance.
McGraw raised concerns about sanctuary city policies, explaining how they complicate ICE operations by releasing criminal suspects onto the streets instead of allowing agents to take custody while they’re still in detention facilities.
LIVE NOW: Dr. Phil and @RealTomHoman are in an ICE Command Center in Chicago.
Dr. Phil: Are you going into schools and arresting children at schools?
Tom Homan: No.
Dr. Phil: Is anything like that happening?
Tom Homan: No sir. pic.twitter.com/ELvIDDM6SN
— Dr. Phil (@DrPhil) January 26, 2025
He elaborated on the increased dangers faced by ICE agents when they must pursue suspects in public spaces rather than controlled environments like jails. McGraw warned about potential risks to civilians if confrontations occur in residential areas, particularly if suspects resist arrest or engage in gunfire with agents.
The television personality stressed that ICE’s current operations concentrate on individuals with extensive criminal records, some having accumulated numerous arrests and convictions both domestically and internationally, rather than conducting sweeping deportation campaigns targeting specific ethnic groups.