Dr. Phil Joins Immigration Authorities for Ride-Along During ICE Enforcement in Chicago
The former talk-show host embedded with ICE agents to highlight enforcement actions targeting criminals and terrorists.
Phil McGraw, former daytime talk show host known for “Dr. Phil,” shared a video on Sunday showing himself accompanying Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Chicago as they ramped up enforcement actions across the U.S. McGraw, who is now behind Merit Street Media, posted the ride-along footage to showcase the agency's targeted operations aimed at apprehending "known criminals and terrorists."
During the segment, McGraw spoke with Thomas Homan, former Immigration and Customs Enforcement official under the Trump administration, who urged viewers to disregard the "false narrative" surrounding ICE’s actions. Homan emphasized that the agency was not conducting neighborhood sweeps based on racial profiling, as some critics have suggested.
The enforcement actions come in the wake of President Donald Trump's pledge to carry out the largest mass deportation initiative in U.S. history. Immigration advocates, however, continue to raise concerns about the rights of individuals during encounters with authorities, emphasizing the importance of due process, regardless of immigration status.
On Sunday, ICE agents detained nearly 1,200 individuals across the U.S., marking the highest number of arrests made in a single day since Trump took office. While nearly half of those detained did not have criminal records, the operation has drawn significant attention from critics of the administration's immigration policies.
In the video posted by McGraw on X (formerly Twitter), he can be seen interacting with a man who is handcuffed and standing on a street corner next to Homan. The man, who Homan describes as undocumented and previously convicted of child sex crimes, engages briefly with McGraw. When asked if he had committed the crimes, the man replies, “not really,” before recognizing McGraw as the former talk-show host, leading to a brief exchange about his public persona.
A spokesperson for ICE did not immediately provide comment regarding the video or the operations.
McGraw, who ended his iconic daytime show in 2023, made headlines earlier in 2023 when he spoke at a Trump rally at Madison Square Garden, where he praised the then-presidential candidate but insisted his appearance was not an endorsement. McGraw’s connection to Trump dates back to their shared prominence in the reality TV era. Trump, known for launching "The Apprentice," often used his public platform to shape his image and build relationships with celebrity figures like McGraw, who also navigated the realms of media and entertainment.
As McGraw continues to explore new ventures, including his media company, his involvement with immigration enforcement highlights his ongoing engagement with politically charged issues and his efforts to broaden his influence beyond the talk-show format.