Dr. Phil joins Border Czar Tom Homan in Chicago to livestream ICE raids and arrests

TV host stunned as migrant says, 'Not really,' to sex crime charges during ICE raid detaining 956, including offenders

Dr. Phil found himself in the middle of a dramatic scene on Sunday as he joined Trump’s Border Czar, Tom Homan, during a series of ICE raids in Chicago. The 74-year-old television host was left stunned when a detained migrant made a shocking admission about his criminal past.  

Dr Phil is embedded with @RealTomHoman for ICE operation in Chicago.

For full live coverage of the operation, download the MeritTV app. pic.twitter.com/PKkZRZzqq5

— Dr. Phil (@DrPhil) January 26, 2025

The migrant, who was handcuffed on the street, responded to Dr. Phil’s questioning about his alleged sex crime convictions with a casual, "Not really." A visibly surprised Dr. Phil repeated, "Not really?!" as the migrant added, "I'm not a sinner, I'm gonna talk to my lawyer."  

Homan, standing nearby, instructed his agents, "Let's take him in, process him, and lock him up." The border czar emphasized that the arrest was part of a broader effort to address the issue of undocumented criminals in sanctuary cities, where local authorities often refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.  

"Again, the downfall, the problem with a sanctuary city is that people like this are walking the street rather than law enforcement working with federal agents," Homan said. "This is what we're dealing with."  

The raids, which also took place in cities like Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, and Atlanta, resulted in the arrest of 956 migrants on Sunday alone. Among those apprehended were sex offenders, convicted murderers, and members of the violent Tren de Aragua gang.  

Dr. Phil shared footage of the arrests on social media, highlighting the case of Seda Sam, a convicted sex offender from Thailand who was among the first to be detained. "He shouldn't even be here, but he's doing this," Homan said, criticizing local officials for failing to alert federal authorities about dangerous individuals in their communities.  

The raids have sparked a heated debate between federal and local officials. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker have both distanced themselves from the operations, with Pritzker stating on CNN’s 'State of the Union' that local police "will not coordinate with federal officials on the arrest of people without a warrant."  

However, Homan defended the targeted nature of the raids, stating, "We spend a lot of time investigating these people, we know exactly who we're looking for - so it's a target enforcement operation, it's the right thing to do."  

The Trump administration has reportedly directed ICE to significantly increase daily arrests, aiming for 1,200 to 1,500 per day. This aggressive approach has already led to the arrest of nearly 2,300 migrants in just three days, marking a dramatic shift in immigration enforcement under the new administration.  

As the raids continue, the tension between federal and local authorities shows no signs of easing, with both sides standing firm on their positions.