The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) publicly criticized an NBC affiliate this week for omitting critical facts about an illegal immigrant arrested in California. NBC Bay Area reported that federal agents detained 42-year-old Gerardo Rojas-Leyva in San Jose but failed to disclose his extensive criminal record.
NBC’s report stated, “According to the family’s Ring video, Gerardo was in his black truck at 7:45 a.m., about to head out to his construction job when multiple people, who appear to be federal officers, approached his truck and yelled for him to get out.” The outlet also quoted Rojas-Leyva’s wife, who claimed she was struck by a plainclothes officer during the arrest.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin pushed back, revealing that the man NBC portrayed as a victim had a serious criminal history. “Of course @NBCNews refuses to tell the American public that this illegal alien from Mexico has a rap sheet that includes: lewd and lascivious acts with a CHILD, battery of a spouse, domestic battery, compensation for prostitution, felony reentry after removal,” McLaughlin wrote.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, McLaughlin confirmed that ICE officers arrested Rojas-Leyva, who resisted arrest and required the use of a taser. “Rojas-Leyva’s criminal history includes lewd and lascivious acts with child of 14-15 years old, battery of a spouse, inflicting corporal injury on a spouse/cohabitant, and providing compensation for prostitution,” she said. McLaughlin reaffirmed DHS’s stance under President Trump and Secretary Noem: “Criminal illegal aliens are not welcome in the U.S.”
McLaughlin has also accused NBC of biased coverage in previous immigration reports, defending ICE agents as “fathers and mothers… who just want to go home to their families at night and serve our great nation.”
