TV host Dr. Phil joined U.S. immigration officers during a crackdown operation in Chicago on Sunday, voicing support for President Donald Trump’s controversial deportation policies as the initiative neared the end of its first week.
Phil McGraw, best known for his TV show on mental health, participated in the operation alongside U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and other federal agents. McGraw, who previously spoke at a Trump campaign event, clarified on X that the operation targeted 270 “high-value” individuals and was not a broad neighborhood sweep. “They’re not sweeping neighborhoods as some are suggesting,” he emphasized.
The Trump administration, seeking to ramp up immigration enforcement, enlisted multiple federal agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the U.S. Marshals Service, to assist ICE.
In addition to McGraw’s involvement, Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove highlighted his role in the operation, commending law enforcement officers as “brave men and women” addressing what he described as a national emergency caused by past immigration policies.
The operation resulted in 956 arrests nationwide on Sunday, three times the typical daily average. Arrests occurred in various locations, including outside a Home Depot in Tucson, Arizona, and within Dominican communities in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The effort drew criticism from Illinois Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, both Democrats, who expressed concerns about targeting non-criminals, including veterans and essential workers. “Deportation efforts should focus on individuals who pose a threat to public safety,” they argued, “while providing others a chance to earn legal status.”
ICE described the Chicago operation as a measure to enhance public safety but offered limited additional details.