The Department of Homeland Security has been blatantly lying about the behavior of federal law enforcement, even though the incidents are caught on camera.
Over the past week, as public opinion has soured on President Donald Trump’s mass arrests and deportations, DHS has repeatedly lied about its agents’ lawless actions, rather than take accountability.
On June 19, for example, DHS lied about an incident in a parking lot of Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles in which the Dodgers organization said it denied Immigration and Customs Enforcement entry to the grounds.
“This morning, ICE agents came to Dodger Stadium and requested permission to access the parking lots. They were denied entry to the grounds by the organization. Tonight’s game will be played as scheduled,” the organization wrote on X.
Protesters demonstrate outside of Dodger Stadium on June 19 after ICE agents tried to enter Dodger Stadium parking lots.
Photos and video show masked agents in tactical gear outside of their cars near one of the stadium’s gates. Their vehicles were then escorted off of the property by the Los Angeles Police Department.
But DHS claims that what everyone saw didn’t actually happen.
"This had nothing to do with the Dodgers. CBP vehicles were in the stadium parking lot very briefly, unrelated to any operation or enforcement," DHS wrote on X.
But Democratic lawmakers weren’t going to let it slide.
"First you said it wasn’t DHS. Now you’re saying it was, but it was no big deal. What are you gonna say next? This is EXACTLY why we can’t have unidentified 'agents' running around terrorizing communities. Enough is enough,” Rep. Julie Johnson of Texas wrote on X.
And California state Sen. Scott Wiener called out how the masked officers could really be anybody.
“Just some creepy armed Mad Max guys trying to get into Dodgers Stadium,” he wrote on X. “ICE says it wasn’t them. DHS says it’s Border Patrol. But honestly who the hell knows? They’ve given permission for any psycho to put on a ski mask, point a gun, grab people & throw them into an unmarked car.”
DHS also lied about two other chilling incidents that were caught on camera, including the arrest of New York City Comptroller Brad Lander—who is also running for mayor of New York City. DHS claimed that he was arrested because he assaulted ICE agents, but video of the arrest proves that’s not true.
“New York City Comptroller Brad Lander was arrested for assaulting law enforcement and impeding a federal officer. Our heroic ICE law enforcement officers face a 413% increase in assaults against them—it is wrong that politicians seeking higher office undermine law enforcement safety to get a viral moment. No one is above the law, and if you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will face consequences,” DHS wrote on X.
Lander was later released from custody without any charges after New York Gov. Kathy Hochul demanded his release.
Similarly, DHS lied about the manhandling and arrest of Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla of California, claiming that Padilla was wrestled to the ground because he didn't identify himself as a senator when trying to ask a question of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during a news conference.
“Senator Padilla chose disrespectful political theatre and interrupted a live press conference without identifying himself or having his Senate security pin on as he lunged toward Secretary Noem. Mr. Padilla was told repeatedly to back away and did not comply with officers’ repeated commands. [Secret Service] thought he was an attacker and officers acted appropriately. Secretary Noem met with Senator Padilla after and held a 15 minute meeting,” DHS wrote on X.
But, of course, video proves otherwise.
“I’m Senator Alex Padilla,” he says, as a federal agent pushes him from the room and into a hallway, where he’s then forced to the ground and detained.
Ultimately, DHS’ abhorrent conduct is turning the public off of Trump’s evil deportation agenda. Polling shows that ICE's favorability is sinking and that approval of Trump's immigration enforcement and deportations is now underwater.
A YouGov poll released June 10 found that pluralities of U.S. adult citizens think Trump's immigration approach is "too harsh" and that ICE agents should not be allowed to be masked when conducting raids.
"Polling shows that Trump's lost the political battle over the LA protests, even as immigration had been his best issue," CNN's Harry Enten said on Friday. "His net approval on LA (-15 pt & with indies -24 pt) is way underwater. Further, ICE's popularity has fallen with -9 pt net approval on more workplace raids."
But rather than change its tactics, the Trump administration is lying—and hoping you don't call it out.
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