DHS Considering Charges Against Dem Who Tipped Off Migrants
A Democratic state lawmaker who tipped off her community about ICE operations could face obstruction-of-justice charges, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told Fox News.
Following Arizona state Senator Analise Ortiz’s admission on social media that she had alerted residents to ICE activity, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement to Fox News that Ortiz was prioritizing “illegal criminals over American citizens.”
“Arizona state Senator Analise Ortiz is siding with vicious cartels, human traffickers, and violent criminals over American citizens,” said McLaughlin. “Notifying the public about ICE law enforcement operations endangers law enforcement and weakens American national security.”
Responding to Fox News’ inquiry about whether Ortiz could face charges, McLaughlin said, “This certainly looks like obstruction of justice.”
She then noted that ICE and immigration enforcement agents are facing an 830 percent single-year increase in assaults.
“The men and women of ICE put their lives on the line every day to arrest violent criminal illegal aliens to protect and defend the lives of American citizens,” McLaughlin told Fox. “Make no mistake, sanctuary politicians like Arizona Senator Analise Ortiz are contributing to the surge in assaults of our ICE officers through their repeated vilification and demonization of ICE.”
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This follows criticism from the popular conservative social media account “Libs of TikTok,” which slammed Sen. Ortiz for sharing updates on ICE operations. The account posted a screenshot—purportedly from Ortiz’s social media—that included an alert in both English and Spanish reading “ICE is present,” along with the specific location of the federal agents.
Libs of TikTok wrote, “Arizona State Senator Analise Ortiz (D) is actively impeding and doxxing ICE by posting their live locations on instagram.” The account then pressed Border Czar Tom Homan, the DHS and ICE to file charges against Ortiz.
For her part, Ortiz doubled down and admitted she alerted illegal migrants to ICE activity. “Yep. When ICE is around, I will alert my community to stay out of the area,” she said. Seemingly in response to the threat of arrest, Ortiz also wrote: “I’m not f*****g scared of you nor Trump’s masked goons.”
Following those remarks, Arizona Senate Warren Petersen, a Republican, issued a statement reprimanding Ortiz: “Public servants have a duty to uphold the law and respect those who enforce it, not undermine them.”
He added that he had referred the matter to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona for investigation “as it appears she may be in violation of federal law.”
Remaining defiant, Ortiz noted in another X post: “I will not be intimidated. I will alert our community to avoid the area when Trump’s masked thugs terrorize us all, regardless of citizenship. Trump doesn’t respect our laws nor our constitution. My duty is to keep people safe from his unconstitutional and authoritarian actions.”
The Department of Homeland Security launched a surprise operation to enforce immigration laws in Los Angeles on Wednesday, arresting 16 illegal immigrants tied to a region that federal agents say is gripped by MS-13 gang control.
Dubbed “Operation Trojan Horse,” the raid began around 7 a.m. near a Home Depot on Wilshire Boulevard by MacArthur Park — the same location where a previous June sweep drew national attention, Fox News LA reported.
Video from the scene shows federal agents bursting from the back of a Penske moving truck and sprinting toward a group of individuals gathered near a street food stand. The crowd immediately scattered as agents moved in.
According to a DHS spokesperson, the 16 illegal aliens detained are originally from Guatemala, Mexico, Honduras, and Nicaragua. No further details were immediately provided about their criminal histories or immigration status, but DHS officials made clear the area is plagued by gang activity that threatens public safety.
