Trump administration officials have condemned Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., a prominent member of the so-called “Squad,” for what they call a ‘vile lie’ about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents allegedly using a 5-year-old child as bait to arrest an undocumented immigrant. The accusation, which Omar posted on X, was based on a news report that the Department of Homeland Security has refuted, calling the piece a ‘disgusting smear.’
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, a senior official in the Department of Homeland Security, called Omar’s statement ‘a vile lie’ and the story a ‘disgusting smear.’ According to McLaughlin, ‘ICE agents NEVER used a 5-year-old girl as ‘bait.’ Instead, the agency emphasized that the child, who was autistic, was rescued by officers after her father, Edwards Hip Mejia, allegedly abandoned her in his car. McLaughlin stated that Mejia had previously been arrested for domestic abuse and strangulation, among other charges, and that he had ignored the law enforcement emergency lights to pull over, leading to the situation where his daughter was left unattended in the vehicle.
The incident has sparked intense debate, with McLaughlin accusing Omar of ‘habitual lies and demonization of our law enforcement,’ which she said was ‘what’s cruel.’ She further warned that such ‘disgusting smears’ were ‘leading to a 1000% increase in assaults against our brave law enforcement.’ This accusation comes as ICE agents face a growing number of violent attacks, including a tragic shooting at an ICE facility in Dallas, where a gunman opened fire on the agency’s office, killing one detainee and injuring another.
The Dallas shooting, which occurred on Wednesday, was carried out by Joshua Jahn, a 29-year-old suspect identified by authorities as the shooter. Jahn, who is believed to have been targeting ICE agents, opened fire indiscriminately at the facility and a van in the sally port, where several detainees were found injured. Jahn took his own life after the shooting, according to sources. The incident has heightened fears about the safety of ICE personnel and has prompted McLaughlin to call for an end to the violence targeting law enforcement.
McLaughlin emphasized that ICE officers are ‘fathers and mothers, sons, and daughters, brothers and sisters’ who ‘get up every morning to try and make our communities safer.’ She urged support for the agency as it continues to face the escalating challenges posed by anti-ICE sentiment and the recent surge in attacks against its personnel. Meanwhile, Omar’s office has not yet responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the matter.