Even as President Donald Trump’s administration continues to deal with the fallout from former President Joe Biden’s refusal to enforce federal immigration law, officials at the Department of Homeland Security also find themselves taking on the near herculean task of debunking the fake sob stories pushed by Democrats and media outlets to make them look bad.
Kilmar Abrego-Garcia — the gang member who quickly became a Democrat darling when the Trump administration accidentally deported him to the one country it shouldn’t have — was just the tip of the iceberg. Since the large-scale deportations began, Democrats and media personalities have glommed onto the stories of any illegal aliens that tug at the heartstrings — whether or not the story is true does not appear to figure into their calculus.
On Sunday, for example, CBS News anchor Margaret Brennan went ahead with a claim that nearly half — 48% — of the illegal aliens currently being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were being held without any charges or deportation orders.
DHS swooped in with the fact-check: “WRONG. ~ 70% of illegal aliens arrested have pending criminal charges or criminal convictions. Does CBS really want us to release accused murderers and rapists back on the streets? But @FacetheNation is right about one thing: our deportation operations are at a RECORD HIGH.”
WRONG. ~ 70% of illegal aliens arrested have pending criminal charges or criminal convictions.
Does CBS really want us to release accused murderers and rapists back on the streets?
But @FaceTheNation is right about one thing: our deportation operations are at a RECORD HIGH. https://t.co/JFQ044rfZe
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) November 24, 2025
A Saturday post from Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) referred to federal agents as kidnappers and parroted a story about a teen taken into custody at school.
“Absolutely horrific. ICE detained and abducted a minor—a high school student—who the family identified as a US citizen. ICE is terrorizing our communities—I’m fighting for answers and accountability. This is just wrong,” he complained.
But a quick response from DHS suggested that Merkley either had not bothered to check the facts or did not care to do so.
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“Senator, you’re missing the facts. This 17-year-old used his vehicle to violently ATTACK ICE and Border Patrol agents,” the agency posted.
“Here’s a timeline of the events: On November 21, U.S. Border Patrol agents in Yamhill County, Oregon were being followed for several miles by a blue Chevy Tahoe. A second vehicle, a Ford F-150 truck, showed up on the scene and colluded with the Chevy Tahoe to barricade the agents, preventing their movement and obstructing them,” the post continued. “Border Patrol called for urgent assistance from ICE officers. When ICE officers arrived, the Ford F-150 fled the area.”
“USBP and ICE officers approached the Tahoe, ordered the occupants out, and arrested the driver, identified as Isaias Eduardo Soto Elias, a 20-year-old U.S. Citizen, for impeding federal law enforcement officers. Shortly after, another team located the Ford F-150 and arrested the driver, identified as 17-year-old U.S. citizen, also for impeding federal law enforcement officers. Both individuals were transported to the ERO Portland office for further investigation and federal prosecution for impeding federal law enforcement officers,” the agency concluded.
Senator, you’re missing the facts. This 17-year-old used his vehicle to violently ATTACK ICE and Border Patrol agents. Here’s a timeline of the events:
On November 21, U.S. Border Patrol agents in Yamhill County, Oregon were being followed for several miles by a blue Chevy… https://t.co/CJAt1176KM
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) November 24, 2025
Governor Roy Cooper (D-NC) did not run with a specific story, but instead issued a generic post in line with his party’s rubber-stamped narrative: “I’ve prosecuted violent criminals and fought to keep them behind bars, so I know the importance of using federal resources to deport violent criminals and keep our borders strong. But randomly sweeping people up based on what they look like, including American citizens and those with no criminal records, risks leaving violent criminals at large while hurting families and the economy.”
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin fired back, however, explaining, “Firstly, @RoyCooperNC refused to turn over 1,400 violent criminal illegal aliens to ICE. On his watch, when these public safety threats and predators are released back onto Charlotte’s streets they will reoffend & create more victims. Second, illegal immigration is a crime much like trespassing. And thirdly, claiming there’s racial profiling is absurd and devoid of fact.”
Firstly, @RoyCooperNC refused to turn over 1,400 violent criminal illegal aliens to ICE.
On his watch, when these public safety threats and predators are released back onto Charlotte’s streets they will reoffend & create more victims.
Second, illegal immigration is a crime… https://t.co/qmObq2By5X
— Tricia McLaughlin (@TriciaOhio) November 18, 2025
Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) — who became a household name when he flew to El Salvador to have cocktails with gang member Abrego-Garcia — responded to the news that a nail salon owner in his state was set to be deported to Vietnam.
“Melissa Tran came here on a Green Card at age 11. She’s since raised 4 kids, started a business, & is a beloved member of the Hagerstown community,” he insisted.
McLaughlin wasn’t having it, however.
“Omitting some pesky facts, Senator. Mong Tuyen Thi Tran is a criminal illegal alien from Vietnam, with criminal convictions including grand larceny, multiple counts of forgery and fraud. An immigration judge issued her a final order of removal in 2004–over 20 years ago. ICE arrested her in May,” she posted.
Omitting some pesky facts, Senator.
Mong Tuyen Thi Tran, is a criminal illegal alien from Vietnam, with criminal convictions including grand larceny, multiple counts of forgery and fraud.
An immigration judge issued her a final order of removal in 2004–over 20 years ago. ICE… https://t.co/WyKXIyNHPQ
— Tricia McLaughlin (@TriciaOhio) November 19, 2025
Senator Cory Booker posted another video along with the caption, “A teenager. A U.S. citizen. Detained by ICE at a courthouse. This isn’t law and order—this is intimidation. It doesn’t protect our communities; it undermines them. It violates the trust people need to safely access the justice system. It wastes law-enforcement resources that should be focused on real dangers, not innocent kids. We must condemn this and demand accountability. America is better than this.”
Once again, McLaughlin fired back: “No. This individual was never arrested or taken into custody. On November 20, Homeland Security Investigations targeted a child predator. Officers briefly questioned the individual who resembled the target.”
No. This individual was never arrested or taken into custody.
On November 20, Homeland Security Investigations targeted a child predator. Officers briefly questioned the individual who resembled the target. https://t.co/II00VnwBqE
— Tricia McLaughlin (@TriciaOhio) November 24, 2025
The New Yorker profiled a Jamaican immigrant thusly: “Orville Etoria, a Jamaican national who’d lived in New York for nearly 50 years, was shackled and put on an ICE flight to Eswatini. ‘It helped me imagine how the slaves might have felt, going to another land in shackles and chains,’ he said.”
But as Fox News reporter Bill Melugin pointed out, “He’s a convicted murderer with a deportation order from a federal immigration judge.”
He’s a convicted murderer with a deportation order from a federal immigration judge. https://t.co/eRayIcWXsv
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) November 25, 2025
Democrats and media have certainly been keeping DHS busy debunking the fake sob stories and dismantling the false narratives — and with Trump encouraging his administration to keep up the deportations, that’s not likely to change any time soon.