DHS calls out New York Times for leaving out criminal history in immigrant sob story

The Department of Homeland Security revealed that the New York Times did not tell the full story in its write-up of a green card holder being detained for his past criminal history that goes beyond what was written in the piece.

The Times reported the case of Alfredo Orellana, who worked as a caregiver for a man with severe autism in Northern Virginia named Luke. The family who employed Orellana said he worked for them for four years.

"It’s like Luke got a bro to hang out with," they said.

'Startling that he was a caregiver.'

The Times goes on to report that Orellana, a permanent resident, was detained for 12 hours in January after returning from El Salvador with his wife, who is an American citizen. They were told to return to Dulles International Airport the next month with court documents. When they returned in February, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents took Orellana into custody.

“We were so shocked. We just could not believe it. We were both sobbing,” his wife recalled.

The Times reported that Orellana's detainment and possible deportation stemmed from when he "swindled" a store out of $200 eight years ago when he was struggling with substance abuse.

Tricia McLaughlin, Homeland Security's assistant secretary for public affairs, posted on X that Orellana is subject to deportation because he has a much longer criminal history than the Times described.

"Of course [the NYT] failed to mention this guy had multiple charges from 2012-2019: distributing drugs, drug possession, assault and battery, failure to appear to court (twice), theft at the second degree, and larceny. Startling that he was a caregiver given he had violent charges on his record," McLaughlin said.

"More fake sob stories," she added.

The Trump administration is pursing zero tolerance for not just illegal immigrants, but visa holders and applicants as well. Green cards can be revoked if holders commit crimes such as aggravated felonies, drug offenses, or fraud or threaten national security by, for instance, having ties to terrorist groups.

The DHS recently announced that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will be screening the social media accounts of foreigners who are applying for lawful permanent resident status and student visas to see if they have expressed support for terrorist organizations such as Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.

“There is no room in the United States for the rest of the world’s terrorist sympathizers, and we are under no obligation to admit them or let them stay here,” said McLaughlin. “Secretary [Kristi] Noem has made it clear that anyone who thinks they can come to America and hide behind the First Amendment to advocate for anti-Semitic violence and terrorism — think again. You are not welcome here.”

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