100 Days of Fighting Fake News

 From Stories on Criminals to Statistics, DHS has been Holding the Media Accountable for Spreading Disinformation to the American people 

WASHINGTON— During President Trump’s 100 days in office, the Department of Homeland Security published a non exhaustive list of facts, to help set the record straight on numerous false and misleading stories that have spread around news coverage and social media.

The list can be found below:

The Facts on Noteworthy Individuals Deported or Prevented from Entering the U.S.

• The Deportation Of American Citizens
  • The media has FALSELY claimed that ICE is deporting US citizen children of illegal aliens. This is false.
  • In both cases the mother made the determination to take her children with her back to Honduras.
  • DHS takes our responsibility to protect children seriously and will continue to work with federal law enforcement to ensure that children are safe and protected.
  • The Trump Administration is giving parents in this country illegally the opportunity to self-deport and take control of their departure process with the potential ability to return the legal, right way and come back to live the American dream. The CBP Home app is a free and easy way to self deport.
• Kilmar Abrego Garcia - The “Maryland Man”
  • Garcia is NOT an American citizen. He is a citizen of El Salvador who had been living in the country illegally.
  • In 2019, two courts – an immigration court and an appellate immigration court – ruled that he was not only a member of MS-13, but that he was in our country illegally. There was a deportation order for him dating back to 2019.
  • Further details about Garcia’s history prove that he is far from innocent.
    • In 2020, his wife filed a petition for protection citing three separate instances of violence
    • In 2021, his wife filed for a restraining order against him due to domestic violence.
    • In 2022, Garcia was pulled over by Tennessee Highway Patrol with 8 people crammed into one car. Despite telling the officers that they were going on a trip from Houston, Texas to Temple Hills, Maryland, there was no sign of luggage in the car.
    • It was later revealed that the vehicle Garcia was driving during this stop was registered to another illegal alien who had been convicted of human trafficking, Jose Roman Hernandez Reyes.
  • The media further claimed that the Supreme Court ordered the Trump Administration to return Garcia to the United States. This is another falsehood.
  • The Supreme Court unanimously overturned that judge’s ruling but instead said that the United States should “facilitate” Garcia’s return. This would only be possible if the government of El Salvador decided to return him, in which case the United States would have to provide transportation.
  • It’s up to Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele and the government of El Salvador if they want to return him. But as President Bukele said during his Oval Office visit with President Trump, he has no intention of releasing a terrorist and sending him back to the United States.
  • When President Trump declared MS-13 a foreign terrorist organization, Abrego Garcia became no longer eligible for any form of immigration relief in the United States. He had a valid deportation order.
  • Furthermore, the Supreme Court also held that EVEN IF El Salvador returned this MS-13 member to the United States, we could deport him a second time. NO version of this legally ends with him ever living in the U.S., because he is a citizen of El Salvador.
  • The foreign policy of the United States is conducted by the President – not by a court – and no court in the United States has the power to conduct the foreign policy of the United States.
• Dr. Rasha Alawieh - "The Brown University Assistant Professor"
  • Dr. Rasha Alawieh was an assistant professor at Brown University. She was in the United States with an H-1B visa.
  • She was deported back to her home country of Lebanon after she admitted to attending the funeral of Hassan Nasrallah, a brutal terrorist who led Hezbollah and was responsible for killing hundreds of Americans.
  • The media tried to portray Alawieh’s case as an example of a “lawful immigrant” being deported. But they completely ignored her direct and alarming ties to radical Islamic terrorism, including her veneration of a dead terrorist leader.
• Alfredo “Alex” Orellana - "The Caregiver"
  • Alfredo “Alex” Orellana has multiple charges on his record from 2012 to 2019, including: distributing drugs, drug possession, assault and battery, failure to appear to court (twice), theft at the second degree, and larceny.
  • He has since been arrested and faces deportation.
  • The New York Times wrote a lengthy article on Orellana’s case. Their article painted a picture of a loving 31-year-old caregiver who was the “best friend” of a 28-year-old autistic man. They also pointed to the fact that Orellana had a green card. The press tried to paint him as a victim who was a caretaker, despite violent charges on his record.
• Jerce Reyes Barrios - "The Venezuelan Soccer Player"
  • Jerce Reyes Barrios was in the United States illegally. He was a member of the vicious Tren de Aragua gang, and he was deported to El Salvador.
  • He has tattoos that are consistent with those indicating membership in the vicious Tren de Aragua gang.
  • His own social media indicates that he is a Tren de Aragua member.
  • That hasn’t stopped the media, however. They tried to whip up a frenzy over this deported criminal gang member, publishing wild claims that he was deported because of a tattoo of a soccer team on his arm.
  • The facts are the facts. Our intelligence assessments go beyond just social media and tattoos. We are confident in our findings.
• Nascimento Blair - "The Ex-Con"
  • Blair was an illegal alien living in the United States who was tried and convicted for kidnapping and sentenced to 15 years in prison.
  • The New York Times published a fawning profile about this criminal illegal alien.
  • In 2008, he was ordered removed out of the country. However, because of the Biden administration’s open border policies, this criminal illegal alien was released onto the streets of New York.
  • The Trump administration is putting the American people first by getting this criminal illegal alien off the streets and out of our country.
• "The French Scientist Denied Entry Over His Political Views"
  • In March, a French scientist was denied entry into the United States.
  • The researcher in question was in possession of confidential information on his electronic device from Los Alamos National Laboratory.
  • This was in clear violation of a non-disclosure agreement - something he admitted to taking without permission and attempted to conceal to authorities.
  • The mainstream media ran with the baseless narrative that this individual was blocked from entering the U.S. because of social media posts that were critical of President Trump.
  • This lie was even echoed by France’s Minister for Higher Education, Philippe Baptiste.
  • His political beliefs were not considered at all in his removal.
• Marie Lepère and Charlotte Pohl – "German Tourists Turned Away on Vacation"
  • Two German tourists were denied entry after attempting to enter the U.S. under false pretenses.
  • Both claimed they were touring California but later admitted that they intended to work.
  • One used a Visitor visa, while the other used the Visa Waiver Program. Under U.S. immigration laws, work is prohibited for these visas.
  • The media version of events depicted two young women who tried to go on a five-week backpacking trip through the United States. The media claimed that the two – aged 18 and 19 – were “deported” because they simply wanted to go on a fun, loosely-planned trip.
  • These travelers weren’t deported—they were denied entry. And the reason for their removal was visa fraud, not because of the planning nature of their so-called “vacation.”
• Jose Hermosillo – "The American Citizen Detained by Border Patrol"
  • Hermosillo turned himself in to immigration authorities on April 8. He approached Border Patrol in Tucson, Arizona and declared that he had entered the U.S. illegally.
  • He completed a sworn statement identifying as a Mexican citizen who had entered unlawfully. He was processed and appeared in court on April 11. Afterwards, he was held by the U.S. Marshals in Florence, Arizona.
  • A few days later, his family presented documents showing U.S. citizenship. The charges were dismissed, and he was released to his family.
  • The media, instead of reporting the facts, created a false and baseless story that an American citizen was illegally detained.
  • Hermosillio’s arrest was the direct action of his own actions and statements. When his citizenship was confirmed, he was promptly released back to his family.
• Kseniia Petrova - "The Russian Scientist Trying to Cure Cancer"
  • Kseniia Petrova, a Russian researcher working for Harvard University, was lawfully detained after lying to federal officers about carrying substances into the country. A subsequent K9 inspection uncovered undeclared petri dishes, containers of unknown substances, and loose vials of embryonic frog cells, all without proper permits.
  • Messages found on her phone revealed she planned to smuggle the materials through customs without declaring them.
  • She knowingly broke the law and took deliberate steps to evade it.
  • But upon her detainment, the media rushed to defend her by claiming that her research could help to cure cancer.
  • The facts of the matter are simple: Petrova broke the law and actively planned to do so. Her research does not make her exempt from the laws of our country.
• Renato Subotic – "The MMA Coach"
  • Subotic is an MMA coach who entered the United States under a visa waiver program that prohibits compensation – only travel reimbursements are allowed.
  • When Subotic was detained under American law, the media claimed that he was thrown in prison and deported for no real reason.Here are the facts: Subotic couldn’t meet the requirement to prove he wasn’t being compensated for participating at a high-dollar, multi-day event.
  • The law is clear: the burden of proof is on the traveler. Since he couldn’t provide detailed answers or the necessary documentation for compensation related to the work event, he was held until the next available flight out the following day.
• Ricardo Jesus Prada Vasquez – The "Disappearing” Delivery Driver
  • Yet again, the media has manufactured a fake controversy on behalf of a terrorist gang member and criminal illegal alien.
  • Ricardo Jesus Prada Vasquez is a Venezuelan national and confirmed member of Tren De Aragua. He entered the United States illegally on November 29, 2024 at the Brownsville, Texas Port of Entry via the CBP One App.
  • The Biden administration, like it did with so many other dangerous criminals, released Prada Vasquez back into the United States.
  • On January 15th, Prada was encountered trying to enter the U.S. from Canada. He was detained, investigated, and confirmed as a member of TDA and a public safety threat. On February 27, a judge ordered him removed from the U.S. He was then removed to El Salvador.
  • The media, however, has falsely claimed that Prada Vasquez was an innocent delivery driver who was “disappeared” by the government.
  • Prada Vasquez was living and working in the U.S. illegally, he was a member of a criminal gang designated as a terrorist organization, and was deported with full compliance with American law.
• Jeanette Vizguerra – "The Activist Who Needed Sanctuary"
  • Jeanette Vizguerra is a convicted criminal alien from Mexico who has a final order of deportation issued by a federal immigration judge. She illegally entered the United States near El Paso, Texas, on Dec. 24, 1997, and has received legal due process in U.S. immigration court.
  • The media, however, has tried to turn her into a martyr. They claim she was an “activist” who needed “sanctuary.” In reality, she getting famous and making money for breaking the law.
  • Under President Trump, this is a nation of laws. We will find, arrest, and deport illegal aliens, no matter how famous the media thinks they are.
  • Vizguerra was in the United States illegally. She was convicted of breaking the law. She was deported.
  • If you come to our country illegally, we will deport you, and you will never return. The safest option for illegal aliens is to self-deport, so they still have the opportunity to return and live the American dream.

The Facts on Those Who Have Abused The Privilege of a Student Visa 

• Yunseo Chung – "The Columbia Student"
  • Yunseo Chung, who was born in South Korea, is a Columbia University student who engaged in concerning conduct on-campus. This includes her being arrested by NYPD during a pro-Hamas protest at Barnard College.
• Mahmoud Khalil - "The Activist Leader at Columbia"
  • Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student from Syria, is one of the ringleaders of the vicious, anti-American, anti-Semitic protests at Columbia University. His activities are aligned with Hamas, a designated terrorist organization.
  • On March 9, 2025, in support of President Trump’s executive orders prohibiting anti-Semitism, and in coordination with the Department of State, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Khalil.
  • But upon his arrest, radical student protesters at Columbia and across the country have attempted to turn him into a martyr, waving signs and banners bearing his likeness.
  • Taking over private buildings, inciting violence, harassing Jewish students, defacing buildings, and passing out terrorist propaganda do not constitute free speech.
  • A judge ruled that Khalil’s deportation can move forward. He will be removed from our country.
• Mohsen Mahdawi – "The Palestinian at Columbia University"
  • Mahdawi is a Palestinian who has been living in the United States on a visa while he was studying at Columbia University.
  • Like many other anti-Israel student protesters, supporters in the media tried to claim that Mahdawi was a victim of political persecution. But his rhetoric on the war in Israel proves his terrorist sympathies.
  • In the wake of October 7, Mahdawi said he could empathize with Hamas’s attack on Israel.
  • He appeared on “60 Minutes” justifying the massacre.
  • He organized and led pro-Hamas protests on Columbia University’s campus, harassed Jewish students, and openly displayed his support for a terrorist organization.
• Leqaa Kordia – "The Palestinian at Columbia University"
  • Leqaa Kordia was another Columbia Student who actively participated in anti-American, pro-terrorist activities on campus.
  • However, her arrest had nothing to do with her radical activities.
  • Kordia was arrested for immigration violations due to having overstayed her F-1 student visa, which had been terminated on January 26, 2022 for lack of attendance
• Dogukan Gunaydin - "The University of Minnesota Student"
  • Dogukan Gunaydin, a graduate student at the University of Minnesota,was arrested after a visa revocation by the State Dept. related to a prior criminal history for a DUI.
  • Contrary to the mainstream media’s quick speculation that he was arrested due to his involvement in student protests, his protest activity had nothing to do with his detainment.
• Badar Khan Suri – "The Georgetown Foreign Exchange Student"
  • Suri was a foreign exchange student at Georgetown University actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media.
  • The media calls him a “scholar” who was innocent of any wrongdoing, even though he was married to the daughter of a senior advisor for to Hamas terrorist group.
• Momodou Taal – "The Cornell University Student"
  • Taal was unapologetic in his pro-terrorist views.
  • Taal, a foreign student studying at Cornell University, participated in pro-Hamas protests on campus.
  • He has a pinned post on his X profile that talks about a so-called “Zionist genocide,” and also states “Long live the student intifada!”

Other Fake News Narratives Corrected 

• The Biden Administration’s inflated deportation numbers
  • DHS uncovered what should be a massive scandal: the Biden administration was cooking the books on ICE arrest data. They were purposefully misleading the American public by categorizing individuals processed and released into the interior of the United States as ICE arrests.
  • Of course, the media ignored this fact. Instead, they falsely claimed that the Biden administration had carried out more arrests than the Trump administration.
  • Tens of thousands of cases recorded as “arrests” were, in fact, instances where illegal aliens were simply processed and released into American communities.
  • Many of these were violent criminals and gang members.
  • The previous administration counted these as arrests even though no immigration enforcement action was taken.
  • During fiscal year 2024, ICE made 113,431 arrests but the vast majority of those were what we call “pass-through” arrests.
  • They are called pass-through arrests because ICE didn’t take enforcement actions against these aliens. They just passed through ICE before they were released in the U.S. interior and told to report to an ICE office.
  • None of the arrests made by ICE since January 20th are pass-through arrests.
  • The difference between recent arrests and those from Biden’s last year is that, now we’re taking enforcement actions against each and every illegal alien arrested.
• ICE Boston Militia rumors:
  • The media eagerly fed and spread a false social media rumor that an ICE agent who conducted arrests of criminal illegal aliens in New England was a “militia leader” from Arizona.
  • The reality? He is a federal law enforcement office who has worked with ICE to help keep New England communities safe for years.
  • This claim was not only false, but also inflammatory and places the safety of federal officers in jeopardy.
  • Our ICE officers are facing 300% increase in assaults while carrying out enforcement operations.
• Due process and treatment rumors in CECOT:
  • These aliens HAVE had due process – we have a stringent law enforcement assessment in place that abides by due process under the U.S. Constitution.
  • The reality is that prison isn’t supposed to be fun. It’s a necessary measure to protect society and punish bad guys. It is not meant to be comfortable.
  • What’s more: prison can be avoided by self-deportation. CBP Home makes it simple and easy.
  • If you are a criminal alien and we have to deport you, you could end up in Guantanamo Bay or CECOT. Leave now.
• DOGE and ICE allegedly collecting sensitive data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
  • The Biden administration flooded the U.S. with tens of millions of illegal immigrants, many of which are exploiting the American taxpayer by illegally getting Medicare and other benefits meant for law-abiding Americans.
  • President Trump consistently promised to protect Medicare for eligible beneficiaries.
  • To keep that promise, DOGE, CMS, and DHS are exploring an initiative to ensure that illegal aliens are not receiving these benefits not meant for them.
  • The media claimed that ICE is working with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to access sensitive personal information in order to identify illegal aliens. These claims are meant to frighten the American people, when in reality this process is working to keep them and their benefits safe from exploitation by illegal aliens.
• ICE HSI presence at schools
  • ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) works relentlessly to protect Americans, especially children, who are put in danger by illegal alien activity. This includes investigations into potential child sex trafficking.
  • But the media has tried to spin their investigative work into the idea that they are going to elementary schools to arrest children.
  • HD Cooke Elementary School, Washington D.C.
    • At the HD Cooke Elementary School in Washington D.C., ICE did not conduct any enforcement action at the school. HSI agents were present at the school unrelated to any kind of enforcement action.
  • Russel Elementary and Lillian Elementary in Los Angeles:
    • At two different elementary schools in Los Angeles, California, HSI officers were conducting wellness checks on children who arrived unaccompanied at the border. It had nothing to do with immigration enforcement.
  • DHS is leading efforts to conduct welfare checks on these children to ensure that they are safe and not being exploited, abused, and sex trafficked.
  • Unlike the previous administration, President Trump and Secretary Noem take the responsibility to protect children seriously and will continue to work with federal law enforcement to reunite children with their families.
  • In less than 70 days, Secretary Noem and Secretary Kennedy have already reunited nearly 5,000 unaccompanied children with a relative or safe guardian.
• Immigrant children detained at Old McDonald Farm in New York
  • In early April, a raid was carried out on a dairy farm in New York after the execution of a federal criminal warrant for an illegal alien in possession of + distributing child sexual abuse materials.
  • Upon the execution of the search warrant at Old McDonalds Farm in Sackets Harbor, New York, authorities encountered seven additional illegal aliens on the premises, including a mother and her three children. We immediately began conducting an investigation to ensure these children are not being sexually exploited.
  • But rather than address the very real evidence of child sexual abuse, the media chose to focus on the fact that a woman and her three children were taken into custody.
  • DHS takes its responsibility to protect children seriously and our ICE officers are working every day to remove pedophiles from American communities.
• TDA members being identified via tattoos
  • Some have claimed that DHS’ assessments of TDA and other gang memberships are based solely on the tattoos that certain illegal aliens have.
  • DHS intelligence assessments go well beyond just gang affiliate tattoos and social media.
  • Tren De Aragua is one of the most violent and ruthless terrorist gangs on planet earth. They rape, maim, and murder for sport. President Trump and Secretary Noem will not allow criminal gangs to terrorize American citizens.

We are confident in our law enforcement’s intelligence, and we aren’t going to share intelligence reports and undermine national security every time a gang member denies he is one. That would be insane.