Dr. Phil joined an ICE team in Chicago to observe deportation operations under the Trump administration. He embedded with agents as they targeted illegal immigrants in the city, which ICE's Tom Homan called "ground zero" for enforcement.
During the mission, Dr. Phil interviewed a convicted sex offender from Thailand who was living in Chicago illegally. "You've been charged with sex crimes with children?" Dr. Phil asked. The man hesitated, replying, "Not really," prompting Dr. Phil’s shocked reaction: "Not really!?"
The man claimed his mother was a U.S. citizen and that he had never been deported. He even recognized Dr. Phil from TV but dodged most of his questions. Homan said the case highlighted the failures of sanctuary city policies.
"We’ve got an illegal alien, convicted of sex crimes involving children, walking the streets of Chicago," Homan said. "This is the problem with sanctuary cities—local law enforcement won’t cooperate with federal agents."
President Trump has frequently criticized sanctuary cities like Chicago, blaming them for harboring criminals. "We’re trying to end them," Trump said in a recent interview, adding that many residents don’t support sanctuary policies.
Dr. Phil, part of a Merit TV production, emphasized the operation wasn’t random. "This is a targeted mission. ICE identified 270 high-value targets—known criminals and terrorists," he explained. He had been briefed on security protocols before joining the operation.
ICE reported arresting over 460 people during the sweep, focusing on undocumented immigrants with criminal records. Crimes included sexual assault, domestic violence, and weapons offenses. Dr. Phil asked agents whether schools were being targeted for raids.
"Is anything like that happening?" he asked. Homan replied, "No, sir."
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has vowed to protect the city’s migrant population. He condemned federal immigration crackdowns, calling them divisive and fear-inducing. Johnson pledged to uphold sanctuary city policies and the Illinois Trust Act, which limits local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.