Department of Homeland Security Deputy Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis told Newsmax that mainstream media outlets work hard to "cherry-pick" data to challenge the Trump administration on immigration enforcement issues.
Bis told "National Report" on Tuesday that DHS Secretary Kristi Noem was recently openly challenged on arrest statistics by CBS News' Margaret Brennan on "Face the Nation."
"Look, this is again the mainstream media trying to cherry-pick data to tell a story that they want to tell. Secretary Noem is correct: The fact is, 70% of ICE arrests are of illegal aliens who have been charged or convicted of a crime just here in the U.S."
Bis said that the numbers are staggering. "That statistic doesn't even include people who lack a rap sheet here in the U.S."
"[Such as] People with Interpol Red Notices who have committed crimes and are wanted fugitives in their home country [and] terrorist gang members who just lack a rap sheet here in the U.S."
She defended the administration's immigration enforcement as being directed at protecting America.
"We are targeting the worst of the worst — 70% have committed a crime in the U.S."
Bis said the types of criminals being arrested are not who most would want as neighbors.
"For instance, we've arrested someone who murdered their 3-month-old son. We've arrested pedophiles every day."
"That's the type of people we are targeting. The media just doesn't want to report on it," she said.
Politicians, said Bis, are also involved in trying to downplay the administration's efforts, and some are pushing violence. She pointed to Democrat Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Democrat Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey as among the worst.
"They continue to also encourage and incite violence against our law enforcement officers."
Bis added, "The truth is, we are in Minnesota to get criminal illegal aliens off the street. We are calling on Gov. Walz to honor the detainers of more than 1,300 illegal aliens that are currently in Minnesota's custody."
Bis said it is imperative to remove criminal illegal aliens from America's communities.
"We've got to get these criminals off of our streets. That's our goal — to make America safe again — get murderers, pedophiles, rapists, terrorists, and gang members out of Minnesota, out from our communities, and out of our country."
President Donald Trump has said he was considering the deployment of federal military troops to Minneapolis using the Insurrection Act if the protests targeting immigration enforcement agents in the area did not stop.
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Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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