The same Democrats who crushed American freedoms with tyrannical COVID lockdowns are now latching on to the "dictator" narrative against President Donald Trump as they fight to shield illegal aliens, including those who committed additional crimes in the U.S., from the administration's immigration enforcement measures.

On June 14, No Kings held thousands of protests nationwide, highlighting the left's baseless portrayal of Trump as an authoritarian dictator with unchecked power. The demonstrations were primarily provoked by disapproval of the administration's deportation push.

'We need #ShutdownNYC now.'

Just weeks earlier, a riot broke out in Los Angeles over Trump's immigration crackdown, where protesters flooded the streets waving Mexican flags and some individuals even set vehicles ablaze.

Meanwhile, the left accused Trump of overstepping his authority by deploying National Guard troops to California to prevent further destruction and violence as Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom and Democrat Mayor Karen Bass sat on their hands.

Newsom claimed that Trump's deployment of troops was an "authoritarian use of military soldiers against citizens."

"Donald Trump is not a king and not above the law," the governor declared.

Photo by RINGO CHIU/AFP via Getty Images

Amid the ongoing tension, more Democrats have leaned into the claims that Trump is acting like a king, vilifying the administration for delivering on the president's campaign promise to solve the nation's illegal immigration crisis.

Earlier this month, Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) attempted to ambush Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem's press conference after previously claiming the L.A. riots were "largely peaceful."

Federal agents briefly detained Padilla for trying to bypass officers to approach Noem during her speech. The senator claimed he "ended up in handcuffs" for asking a question.

"If this is how the Trump administration treats a U.S. Senator in broad daylight, imagine what they're doing to immigrants behind closed doors," Padilla wrote in a post on X. "We cannot stay silent. We will not back down."

Many Democratic politicians, including Newsom, ran to Padilla's defense, seizing the opportunity to accuse Trump of authoritarian actions.

Newsom stated, "This is outrageous, dictatorial, and shameful. Trump and his shock troops are out of control. This must end now."

Padilla's disruptive stunt followed an incident involving Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.) the previous month.

McIver was slapped with federal charges after she was accused of assaulting an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer at a Newark, New Jersey, detention facility where Democrats had demanded access.

The congresswoman called the indictment "political intimidation," claiming that she was at Delaney Hall "to do my job."

McIver also stood up for New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who was arrested for allegedly interfering with ICE operations when he locked arms with a man as federal agents approached them outside the courtroom.

McIver stated, "This administration will stop at nothing to intimidate those who dare to stand against their hateful agenda. This is a horrifying state of affairs for our country."

Lander accused Trump of using "authoritarian tactics."

Critics viewed Lander's move as a publicity stunt during his mayoral campaign. Lander conceded to Zohran Mamdani after he failed to convince more than roughly 11% of NYC Democrats to support him.

Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Flashback to the COVID era

Democratic leaders seem unified in their messaging against Trump, portraying him as a significant threat to freedom.

However, conservatives accused those same politicians of acting like kings just a few years ago, promoting oppressive lockdowns that harmed the economy and caused irreparable damage to mental health.

Newsom imposed some of the strictest lockdown measures in the nation, preventing Americans from gathering, forcing them to close their businesses, and using police to ticket and arrest citizens for trespassing on closed beaches. During the same period, he celebrated a birthday party at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Napa Valley.

During the COVID era, Padilla backed Newsom's leadership, applauding the governor's "statewide face mask mandate" as an "important and timely effort to reduce the spread."

"Let's commit to wearing masks, getting the vaccine, and staying home and social distancing as much as possible," he stated in January 2021.

Padilla repeatedly accused Republicans of spreading "COVID-19 disinformation" that he described as "nearly as dangerous as the disease itself." He claimed conservatives were "anti-mask, anti-science zealots" for criticizing Newsom's leadership.

While insisting Americans should mask up and stay home, he advocated for illegal immigrants to receive a "pathway to citizenship," claiming that "undocumented essential workers braved harsh conditions."

Photo by Jae C. Hong-Pool/Getty Images

Meanwhile, the lockdown situation in New York was similar to that in Los Angeles.

In March 2020, Lander encouraged then-Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) and then-Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) to "close schools, non-essential businesses incl. restaurants & bars, [and] implement aggressive social distancing." He also advocated for closing places of worship.

Lander noted that social distancing would not work "until officially mandated."

"We need #ShutdownNYC now," Lander wrote.

During the COVID era, Democratic politicians enforced and supported strict lockdown measures, including business closures and vaccine mandates that trampled over American freedoms. Now, just a few years later, those same leaders are criticizing Trump's immigration enforcement as authoritarian as the left continues to prioritize illegal aliens over American citizens.

BlazeTV host Steve Deace stated, "To be fair, these COVID tyrants are subject matter experts on what it means to be an authoritarian. Snark aside, it's impossible to be an authoritarian against invaders by the very definition of the term. We elected the Trump administration to exercise its authority to enact mass deportations, which are needed now more than ever."

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Doxxing danger: Foreign-based anti-ICE site threatens agents as assaults against officers surge

A foreign-based website referred to as the ICE List is exposing the names and photographs of dozens of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers amid a 413% increase in assaults against agents since President Donald Trump began his second term.

The website states that it is a "crowdsourced database of individuals involved in deportations, ICE operations, and associated abuses."

'I never thought we'd see international journalists launch a similar project for the US.'

It claims to obtain information about ICE agents from public sources, including social media profiles and news coverage, and that it does not publish private data, such as home addresses or personal contact details.

In addition to exposing known ICE agents, it also lists unidentified officers whom the site has accused of "assault and kidnapping," presumably referring to the arrests of foreign nationals who are unlawfully in the United States.

The database's stated goal is "transparency and public accountability," and it claims it "does not support harassment, doxxing, or any illegal activity."

Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Blaze News, "This is not an 'independent media group.' These are thugs."

"We will prosecute those who doxx ICE agents to the fullest extent of the law. These criminals are taking the side of vicious cartels and human traffickers. We won't allow it in America," McLaughlin added.

The controversial "open journalistic project" was created by the Crustian Daily, a Substack account that claims to publish "plainspoken breakdowns of complex political topics." The journal celebrated the release of Mahmoud Khalil, accused President Donald Trump of violating the U.S. Constitution by striking Iran, and argued that ICE is a "modern Gestapo."

A June 14 article from the Crustian Daily titled "We're Building a Database of ICE Identities, Here's Why" contends that "fascists are terrorizing the population" and "fighting back is a community effort." The article argues that the ICE database is "not harassment" because it does not "encourage threats."

While no author is listed on the Substack, its footer credits Dominick Skinner, who, according to his Bluesky and LinkedIn accounts, appears to be based out of the Netherlands.

Skinner and the Crustian Daily are linked to a website called Crustianity, which parodies Christianity by "celebrat[ing] pizza" while claiming it is "as real as any other" religion. It describes its debt for sin as "punching a Nazi."

As of Friday morning, the Crustian Daily's ICE list was taken offline, but apparently only temporarily.

A Threads post from the journal explained, "Our web host has terminated the hosting for the ICE List. Likely a request from the US government. Moving to a more trustworthy host as we speak."

The Crustian Daily continued to encourage individuals to submit information about law enforcement officers while the site is down.

"New ICE List website should be up by the end of today, tomorrow at the latest," a separate post read. "The US government may have set us back by about a day, But they've gone and made us more determined than ever."

Despite evidence of a Netherlands base — indicated by Skinner's social media accounts, the Crustianity website selling rainbow "Punch Nazis" shirts in euros, and hosting meetups exclusively in the Netherlands — the ICE List and the Crustian Daily try to appear to be U.S.-centric organizations, reinforced by their focus on American immigration issues and omission of international ties.

'Together, we can fight fascism in the USA.'

A comment to Newsweek from Andrew Fels, an attorney at Al Otro Lado, seemed to confirm that the ICE List is not run by anyone based in the United States.

"This kind of open source counterintelligence is common in conflict zones around the globe, particularly against security forces deemed unaccountable or suspected of human rights violations. But I never thought we'd see international journalists launch a similar project for the U.S.," Fels told the news outlet.

Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

Blaze News contacted the ICE List to confirm its association with Dominick Skinner, clarify the operational base of the website and the Crustian Daily, and address concerns about whether the list could exacerbate the reported 413% surge in assaults against ICE officers.

An individual identifying only as "Dominick" declined to answer these questions directly. Yet his response continued to echo rhetoric mirroring American political debates.

"Hmm, I would expect some questions on the state of the country, after Trump unleashed ICE on the people of the USA, the fear put into the hearts of American citizens, the damage done to US democracy, and indeed, the legality of these acts, under both domestic law and international humanitarian laws," Dominick wrote. "As you should be aware, we want a database that can be relied on in courts, we want to match the crimes committed, to those committing them. And, just like with the Nazis, and as laid out by international law, we don't believe that 'just following orders' is an excuse."

"I do not believe you're reporting with good intentions, based on the one-sidedness of the questions," he stated, declaring that he would reply to the questions only on the condition that Blaze News send another "fair and even" list of inquiries.

Underneath Dominick's signature, it read, "Together, we can fight fascism in the USA."

Less than an hour later, Dominick sent a follow-up email accusing Blaze News of attempting to "make a threat" and "not request for comment."

"If your intentions are what you claim they are, the only way of me answering questions, is in a back and forth, where you answer my questions," Dominick wrote. "I'll treat further failure to respond as a rejection of that request, and inform my community of your lack of bravery on this topic, and a confirmation that you intended on passing on a threat."

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Illegal alien child-rapist remains at large thanks to anti-ICE group: DHS

President Donald Trump's Department of Homeland Security warned that Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations are being thwarted by anti-ICE activists, allowing a child-rapist to remain at large.

A Wednesday press release from the DHS announced that it is searching for Jose Reyes Leon-Deras, a convicted child-rapist who was apparently able to evade ICE with alleged assistance from the Colorado Rapid Response Network.

'Anyone responsible should be charged with interfering with a federal investigation.'

The agency stated that the group is "known for protesting with bullhorns to warn illegal aliens and shouting profanities at ICE law enforcement officers attempting to arrest dangerous criminal illegal aliens."

ICE attempted to arrest Leon-Deras on June 20. However, CORRN allegedly alerted the suspect about the agency's presence, effectively "facilitat[ing] his escape."

Photographer: Christopher Dilts/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The DHS described Leon-Deras as a "safety threat," warning the public not to approach him but to report sightings to law enforcement.

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated, "The Colorado Rapid Response Network and its 760 members disrupt ICE operations targeting dangerous criminal illegal aliens. In this case, they helped Jose Reyes Leon-Deras, an international fugitive and convicted child-rapist, flee law enforcement. This dangerous monster is on the loose on American streets and could harm more innocent children."

The DHS press release linked to a June 20 Facebook post from CORRN celebrating that ICE was unsuccessful in its arrest attempt.

The post read, "June 20 7:30am CONFIRMED AND ONGOING ICE presence near Longs Peak Venue and Martin St LONGMONT. The same agents that were shown in our video on Tuesday. Besides these two also a grey Malibu. We will update with a photo. Our volunteers are on site and assisting the people targeted."

"No one detained," a later update to the post stated, "Volunteers confronted the ICE agents and used a bullhorn to to [sic] share their rights, ICE called the police to try and intimidate our volunteers."

The post included photographs of several alleged ICE vehicles, including their license plate numbers.

Anti-ICE protestors demonstrate outside the ICE Processing Center on June 9, 2025, in Aurora, Colorado. Photo by Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images

According to CORRN's website, the group is "committed to responding to raids, deportation, and any Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity happening across the state in our communities."

"This statewide network is intended to immediately respond to reported situations by confirming the existence of a raid or the presence of ICE, documenting the case — including using legal observers, and slowing down and controlling the public narrative of these events as we fight to keep our families together," the website reads.

CORRN runs a 24/7 hotline where residents can report ICE sightings. The group responds by sending "trained volunteers to the scene" where they "record the event, identify the agents on the scene, and inform the people involved of their constitutional rights."

ICE Denver stated, "Groups like this interfere with ICE's ability to keep communities safe."

Rep. Jeff Crank (R-Colo.) called CORRN "a disgrace."

"Anyone responsible should be charged with interfering with a federal investigation," he remarked.

CORRN did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.

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Trump’s ICE busts 11 illegal Iranian nationals: Terror suspect, ex-sniper, and another with Hezbollah ties

Following the United States' weekend strike on Iranian nuclear enrichment sites, the Trump administration's Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced the arrest of nearly a dozen Iranian nationals who are illegally in the country.

The former Biden administration's open-border policies have sparked concerns that potential terrorists and other threat actors have flooded into the U.S. undetected, raising the risk of the formation of sleeper cells.

'We don't wait until a military operation to execute; we proactively deliver on President Trump's mandate to secure the homeland.'

ICE's arrests, which took place over the weekend, included a suspected terrorist, an individual with admitted ties to Hezbollah, and an alleged former Iranian Army sniper, according to a Tuesday press release from ICE.

The Department of Homeland Security stated that the arrests reflect the agency's "commitment to keeping known and suspected terrorists out of American communities."

Immigration agents in Mississippi apprehended Yousef Mehridehno. The U.S. government terminated his residency in 2017 after it determined that he made false statements on his original visa application and potentially committed marriage fraud. The federal government in February listed Mehridehno as "a known or suspected terrorist," the press release said.

Yousef Mehridehno. Image Source: Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Mehran Makari Saheli, a former member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps with admitted connections to Hezbollah, was arrested in Minnesota. He was previously convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and a judge ordered his removal in 2022.

Mehran Makari Saheli. Image Source: Immigration and Customs Enforcement

ICE Atlanta arrested Ribvar Karimi, who was reportedly carrying his Islamic Republic of Iran Army identification card, which noted that he was previously an Iranian Army sniper from 2018 to 2021. ICE determined that he was eligible for removal after he entered the U.S. on a marriage visa in 2024 and allegedly broke federal law by failing to adjust his immigration status.

Ribvar Karimi. Image Source: Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Behzad Sepehrian Bahary Nejad, who was reportedly carrying a loaded firearm when ICE Houston arrested him, entered the country on a student visa in 2016 and was arrested the following year in Texas for allegedly assaulting his wife, impeding her breathing. His wife obtained a restraining order, claiming that he had threatened her and her family in Iran. An immigration judge ordered his removal in October 2019 after his status was terminated due to academic suspension.

Behzad Sepehrian Bahary Nejad. Image Source: Immigration and Customs Enforcement

ICE Houston also arrested Hamid Reza Bayat, who was convicted of drug crimes and driving on a suspended license. An immigration judge previously ordered his removal nearly two decades ago.

Hamid Reza Bayat. Image Source: Immigration and Customs Enforcement

In Phoenix, Arizona, federal immigration agents apprehended Mehrzad Asadi Eidivand, an illegal alien who received removal orders after he was convicted for threatening a law enforcement office and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Mehrzad Asadi Eidivand. Image Source: Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Agents also arrested Linet Vartaniann, an American citizen, for allegedly harboring Eidivand and threatening to open fire on officers. The agency claimed that Vartaniann stated she would "shoot ICE officers in the head" if they entered her home.

Linet Vartaniann. Image Source: Immigration and Customs Enforcement

ICE officials in Colorado Springs nabbed Mahmoud Shafiei and Mehrdad Mehdipour, two illegal aliens living together. Shafiei was convicted of drug crimes and previously arrested for alleged assault and child abuse. A judge ordered Shafiei's removal in 1987.

Mahmoud Shafiei. Image Source: Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Mehrdad Mehdipour. Image Source: Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Federal immigration agents in San Francisco apprehended Bahman Alizadeh Asfestani, who has a criminal history, including a conviction for theft and possession of a controlled substance for sale.

Bahman Alizadeh Asfestani. Image Source: Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Mohammad Rafikian, who has a lengthy rap sheet, was arrested on Monday by ICE Buffalo. He was previously convicted of grand larceny, schemes to defraud, criminal impersonation, and practicing as an attorney.

Also on Monday, federal agents in San Diego grabbed Arkavan Babk Moirokorli, an illegal alien convicted of forging an official seal.

'Very commonly, such groups are engaging in criminal acts to raise money, promote propaganda, recruit assets, or source technology and equipment.'

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated, "Under Secretary Noem, DHS has been full throttle on identifying and arresting known or suspected terrorists and violent extremists that illegally entered this country, came in through Biden's fraudulent parole programs or otherwise."

"We have been saying we are getting the worst of the worst out — and we are. We don't wait until a military operation to execute; we proactively deliver on President Trump's mandate to secure the homeland," she added.

When Blaze News contacted ICE for comment, it directed us to its press release. The agency would not respond to specific questions about the arrested illegal aliens' potential terrorist cell involvement, whether they had previously been under surveillance, or had known or suspected contact with Iranian officials.

Kyle Shideler, the director and senior analyst for homeland security and counterterrorism at the Center for Security Policy, told Blaze News, "While the term 'sleeper cell' captures the imagination, it's better to think of such cells as 'terrorist infrastructure.'"

"Very commonly, such groups are engaging in criminal acts to raise money, promote propaganda, recruit assets, or source technology and equipment," Shideler continued. "That doesn't mean they may not possess military or terrorist training and the ability to conduct attacks. But it does allow a proactive law enforcement approach, which seeks to find and remove such threats before it becomes truly dangerous. Aggressive immigration enforcement is good counterterrorism."

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I was separated from my mom because Ireland enforced its laws

I spent the first nine months of my life separated from my mother — not because of cruelty or neglect, but because Ireland enforced its immigration laws.

My mother, a U.S. citizen in her late 20s, traveled to Ireland to visit her brother while pregnant with me. Medical complications during her pregnancy made further air travel unsafe, and she overstayed her visa. After my birth, Ireland’s immigration rules required her to leave while officials sorted out my paperwork.

A nation without enforcement invites chaos, and chaos always hurts the most vulnerable first.

As a result, I — a U.S. citizen by birth and by heritage — spent my infancy with a foster family in a foreign country.

I don’t blame Ireland for enforcing its laws. I don’t blame my mother for traveling when it was risky. Life handed us a difficult situation, but the government didn’t become the villain. That experience taught me a truth that applies directly to America’s current debate over deportation and family separation.

Enforcement isn’t cruelty

My story doesn’t qualify as a sob story. It’s simply the fact of the matter. For years, activists and media outlets have flooded Americans with emotional tales of children separated from their parents during deportation. The usual narrative paints Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents as soulless monsters tearing families apart for sport.

That’s nonsense.

I lived through separation. I understand the pain. But I also understand something else: Nations enforce laws not because they’re heartless, but because they must.

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

My mother’s visa violation led to our temporary separation. The U.S. does the same to those who violate our immigration laws. These actions don’t stem from hatred or malice. They serve the purpose of preserving order, national sovereignty, and the rule of law.

I know what loss feels like

I spent my earliest months far from the woman who gave me life. I never had the chance to meet my father — he was murdered before I could know him. My mother died of cancer when I was 7. Separation and loss defined my childhood.

But I’ve never blamed the Irish government for upholding its laws. Immigration enforcement didn’t cause my father’s death. It didn’t cause my mother’s cancer. Life brings tragedy, sometimes with no one to blame.

Emotional pain doesn’t make law enforcement unjust. It makes law enforcement necessary. Countries must uphold their borders. And when they fail to do so, real people suffer — on both sides of the law.

The American system is under siege

The United States faces a historic immigration crisis.

In 2019, during President Trump’s first term, ICE arrested approximately 143,000 aliens and removed more than 267,000. In 2024, under Joe Biden, those numbers shifted: 113,431 arrests, 271,484 removals — despite over 11 million border encounters during his term. That dwarfs the roughly 3 million encounters under Trump’s entire administration.

The Department of Homeland Security also reports that 1.4 million inadmissible aliens received parole into the country’s interior. As of mid-2024, nearly 650,000 criminal illegal aliens remained on ICE’s non-detained docket — free to roam the United States.

That doesn’t seem like compassion. That’s more like collapse.

These figures signal a breakdown of accountability. And when laws go unenforced at this scale, tragedy doesn’t just grow — it multiplies.

Responsibility, not blame

I only had a handful of years with my mother. I understand the impulse to blame something — or someone — when that kind of pain hits. But blame rarely leads to truth. It deflects responsibility and gives emotional suffering a temporary target.

It’s a political crutch as much as a psychological one. But what if we stopped pointing fingers and started taking responsibility? Every choice brings consequences. That’s not cruelty — it’s Newton’s third law in action.

Walk into someone’s home uninvited, and that person has every right to call the police. Try to explain away the trespass, and it won’t change the fact that the law exists to protect the homeowner. If we accept that principle at the level of private property, we should respect it at the level of national borders.

Not every story is the same

My situation 30 years ago was different from what we see today. My mother, aside from a parking ticket, had no criminal history. She didn’t intend to break the law. In contrast, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 44% of prosecuted illegal immigrants today already have a criminal record.

I didn’t arrive in America through human smugglers. I wasn’t trafficked. I wasn’t handed over to a fraudulent sponsor.

I came home because my grandfather — a World War II veteran and political organizer — fought for me. He used every resource he had, including connections to Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.), to bring me back to the United States. I flew across the Atlantic on the lap of a decorated American soldier, finally returning to the country that already recognized me as its own.

We owe the next generation better

That’s why I can’t accept the argument that lawlessness is compassion. It isn’t.

We owe it to every child born here, raised here, or separated like I was not to replace justice with sentimentality. A nation without enforcement invites chaos, and chaos always hurts the most vulnerable first.

This debate isn’t about cruelty. It’s about sovereignty. It’s about clarity. It’s about preserving a system that works for those who follow the law — and holding accountable those who don’t.

Trump’s ICE shields farmers from raids, then reverses course to deliver on mass deportation promise

President Donald Trump’s administration has reportedly weighed changes to its strict immigration enforcement policies over concerns about how they impact America’s agricultural and hospitality industries.

Last week, Trump’s Department of Homeland Security briefly halted Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids at farms, hotels, and restaurants, according to the New York Times. The DHS reportedly reversed those exemptions on Monday.

'Worksite enforcement remains a cornerstone of our efforts to safe guard public safety, national security, and economic stability.'

The Times report followed a post on social media from Trump about the impact of the immigration policies on the agricultural community.

The president wrote, “Our great Farmers and people in the Hotel and Leisure business have been stating that our very aggressive policy on immigration is taking very good, long time workers away from them, with those jobs being almost impossible to replace.”

“In many cases the Criminals allowed into our Country by the VERY Stupid Biden Open Borders Policy are applying for those jobs,” Trump continued. “This is not good. We must protect our Farmers, but get the CRIMINALS OUT OF THE USA. Changes are coming!”

Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images

The following day, the Times stated that an internal DHS email and three U.S. officials claimed the Trump administration had ordered a pause on ICE raids at farms, hotels, and restaurants.

Senior ICE official Tatum King reportedly issued the new guidance to the agency’s regional leaders.

According to the Times, the email read, “Effective today, please hold on all work site enforcement investigations/operations on agriculture (including aquaculture and meat packing plants), restaurants and operating hotels.”

The guidance appeared to contradict border czar Tom Homan’s previous declarations that ICE would significantly increase worksite raids to achieve the administration’s mass deportation goals.

“We acknowledge that by taking this off the table, that we are eliminating a significant # of potential targets,” King reportedly wrote.

Homan stated last week that ICE has increased its arrests to roughly 2,000 per day. According to reports, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller has pushed federal authorities to reach a minimum of 3,000 daily arrests.

Photo by APU GOMES/AFP via Getty Images

The new guidance allowed ICE to continue any investigations involving “human trafficking, money laundering, drug smuggling into these industries.” However, agents were instructed not to arrest “noncriminal collaterals,” or illegal aliens who have not committed additional crimes in the United States.

On Monday, the Washington Post reported that the administration lifted its temporary exemption after the DHS learned that White House leadership did not support it.

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Blaze News, “The president has been incredibly clear. There will be no safe spaces for industries who harbor violent criminals or purposely try to undermine ICE’s efforts.”

“Worksite enforcement remains a cornerstone of our efforts to safe guard public safety, national security, and economic stability. These operations target illegal employment networks that undermine American workers, destabilize labor markets, and expose critical infrastructure to exploitation,” McLaughlin said.

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Senator HANDCUFFED for outburst during press conference

Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) was forcefully removed from a press briefing led by Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem after creating a scene and interrupting Noem’s speech by shouting a question about immigration and citizenship.

Video shows Padilla being dragged into the hallway by security, where he was handcuffed and led away.

In a follow-up video on X, Padilla said, “If they can do that to me, if they’re willing to do that to me, a United States senator with a question, doing my job on behalf of the people of California and our country, what are they doing to a lot of the folks that are out there when the cameras are not on?”

“Not the dangerous violent criminals that they say they’re targeting — I have no issue with that — but I’m talking about all the otherwise law-abiding undocumented immigrants,” he added.

“I love that he says they were law-abiding,” BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales says on “Sara Gonzales Unfiltered.” “If they are here illegally, they are not law-abiding.”

“Yet this idiot wants to make a name for himself, I guess,” she adds.

“That’s exactly what he wanted to do, man. Look, it doesn’t matter who that was. It shows how these politicians think of themselves, that they believe that just because they are a senator, they can do whatever the hell that they want,” BlazeTV contributor and founder of Rippaverse Comics Eric July says.

“Imagine if that was me,” July continues. “What are they going to do to me? They’re going to slam my ass on the ground, and they’re going to put me in handcuffs. Doesn’t matter who it is. You being a senator doesn’t absolve you of that.”

“But he wanted the clip. He got the clip,” he adds.

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Trump’s immigration crackdown works: 1 million illegal aliens reportedly self-deport

President Donald Trump has led a multifaceted plan to address the former Biden administration's immigration crisis. In addition to increasing Immigration and Customs Enforcement's detainment efforts, Trump's Department of Homeland Security implemented a self-deportation program that has reportedly already experienced considerable success.

The Center for Immigration Studies has conservatively approximated that there are roughly 15.4 million illegal aliens in the country. Andrew Arthur, a resident fellow in law and policy with the CIS, claimed that nearly 1 million of those illegal aliens have opted to self-deport due to the Trump administration's strict immigration enforcement measures.

'Even with the cost of the stipend, it is projected that the use of CBP Home will decrease the costs of a deportation by around 70 percent.'

Arthur reached the 1 million figure based partly on employment numbers.

He cited a June op-ed from the Wall Street Journal, which assessed that the immigrant population had decreased by 773,000 over the first four months of Trump's presidency.

Photo by Carlos Moreno/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Further supporting Arthur's estimate, a Washington Post report read, "More than a million foreign-born workers have exited the workforce since March." While the Post framed the findings as "a sign of the weakening labor supply," it also claimed that average wages had increased.

"Average hourly wages accelerated, rising by 0.4 percent over the month, to $36.24 in May, as earnings continue to beat inflation in a boost to workers' spending power," the Post stated.

Arthur concluded, "In other words, with fewer illegal immigrants, businesses have had to raise wages to attract workers."

He noted that the administration's self-deportation program is a significantly cheaper route for taxpayers compared to ICE raids.

The DHS launched "a nationwide and international multimillion-dollar ad campaign" to promote the self-deportation program, warning illegal aliens that if they refuse to leave on their own, they may become ineligible to return to the United States.

Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images

The DHS repurposed the former CBP One application, now CBP Home, to facilitate and track the self-deportations.

The department has also offered financial and travel assistance to illegal aliens to incentivize them to leave the country voluntarily.

"Any illegal alien who uses the CBP Home App to self-deport will also receive a stipend of $1,000 dollars, paid after their return to their home country has been confirmed through the app," stated a DHS press release. "Even with the cost of the stipend, it is projected that the use of CBP Home will decrease the costs of a deportation by around 70 percent. Currently the average cost to arrest, detain, and remove an illegal alien is $17,121."

ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.

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Jasmine Crockett’s bad acting is only getting worse

Texas Representative Jasmine Crockett, a Democrat, has been heavily criticized for switching up the way she talks in order to appeal to a certain audience, and her recent outburst at a government hearing isn’t helping her case.

“They love to cherry-pick. They can find any one person that has been killed, and if they’ve been killed by an immigrant, then God darn it, every single immigrant is going out and they are killers, and that is the problem,” Crockett said in a government hearing.

“But they don’t want to talk about white supremacy. I don’t know how many hearings we going to have about the fact that there’s been this one immigrant that killed this one person. And no, I’m not excusing any killings by them or white supremacists. But they haven’t had these hearings,” she continued.

“It’s interesting that they just pick and choose, because it seems like they love to pal around with the white supremacists, and so they don’t want to talk about certain other things,” she added.

“This woman is just on a loop,” BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales says on “Sara Gonzales Unfiltered.” “This is all she knows how to talk about — white supremacy.”

“She’s gradually becoming more and more a stereotype,” BlazeTV contributor Matthew Marsden chimes in. “I’m an actor, so I know when people are playing parts, and she is moving further and further.”

“If you see that original interview with her, she’s totally buttoned down. She’s clearly smart,” he continues. “But this is so offensive, I mean, on so many different levels.”

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Democratic senator’s botched ambush of DHS presser ends in handcuffs

Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) attempted to disrupt Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's Los Angeles press conference on Thursday, but his grandstanding swiftly backfired.

A video captured by Fox News' Bill Melugin showed Padilla crashing the Department of Homeland Security press conference and interrupting Noem's speech.

'He was in the federal building to receive a briefing with General Guillot and was listening to Secretary Noem's press conference.'

Security swiftly intervened.

"I'm Senator Alex Padilla. I have questions for the secretary," Padilla stated after an agent began escorting him out of the room.

Resisting multiple security officers, the senator tried to press on with his comments.

Moments later, after agents had removed him from the room, Padilla shouted, "Hands off!"

Senator Alex Padilla. Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images

"I'm told Noem is in a room meeting with Senator Padilla right now. After I stopped recording, my team witnessed him being taken to the ground by FBI personnel and he was temporarily detained," Melugin said.

A second video circulating on social media appeared to support Melugin's reporting.

The clip showed three FBI agents wrestling Padilla to the ground and placing him in handcuffs.

Padilla's Democratic allies jumped to his defense.

California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) responded to the incident, calling Padilla's removal "outrageous, dictatorial, and shameful."

"[Padilla] is one of the most decent people I know. ... Trump and his shock troops are out of control. This must end now," Newsom wrote in a post on X.

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) stated that the video of Padilla's forced removal "sickened my stomach," accusing officers of "manhandling" the senator.

"We need immediate answers to what the hell went on," Schumer demanded.

Rep. Norma Torres (D-Calif.) said, "Let's call it what it is: a disgraceful abuse of power. Senator Alex Padilla was dragged and handcuffed out for daring to question Secretary Noem. This wasn't a threat — it was dissent. They're not keeping us safe — they're silencing us."

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Padilla's office stated, "Senator Padilla is currently in Los Angeles exercising his duty to perform Congressional oversight of the federal government's operations in Los Angeles and across California. He was in the federal building to receive a briefing with General Guillot and was listening to Secretary Noem's press conference. He tried to ask the Secretary a question, and was forcibly removed by federal agents, forced to the ground and handcuffed. He is not currently detained, and we are working to get additional information."

However, a third video appeared to contradict the office's claim that Padilla was removed for asking a question. Instead, it shows Padilla walking to the front of the room where Noem was speaking. Before Padilla said anything, an officer, noticing his quick approach, intercepted the senator.

According to Melugin, Noem stated she met with Padilla for several minutes after the incident and that the two exchanged phone numbers.

"[Noem] says it was cordial and beneficial. He had concerns about [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] operations & they opened up a line of communication. Said it was a good meeting and things are okay between the two of them (outside of all the political reaction happening now)," Melugin reported.

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