DHS Criticizes House Democrats for Meeting ICE Detainee Accused of Crimes

WASHINGTON — The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Tuesday accused four House Democrats of siding with a criminal illegal immigrant after they visited an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in San Diego and met with a detainee facing serious charges.

According to DHS officials, Representatives Juan Vargas, Mike Levin, Sara Jacobs and Scott Peters met Monday with a Honduran national detained at the ICE San Diego Field Office. The detainee, Dennis Mauricio Rojas-Molina, has been charged with kidnapping and domestic abuse, officials said.

Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin condemned the visit, stating that the lawmakers “chose to stand with criminal illegal aliens over American citizens.” She described the representatives as “sanctuary politicians” who undermine ICE’s efforts to remove offenders from the country and accused them of smearing law enforcement.

However, Peters’ office told Fox News Digital that the lawmakers did not specifically request to meet with Rojas-Molina. They said the members asked to speak with “any detainee” during their oversight visit and were presented with Rojas-Molina by ICE. The office also noted that DHS has not provided evidence that the detainee was convicted of the alleged crimes.

Communications Director Lena Jacobson said the members had requested the oversight visit weeks earlier to ensure due process and legal rights were being upheld. She emphasized that the lawmakers were finally allowed to conduct the visit on Monday and that three detainees were present at the time.

Rojas-Molina was deported from the U.S. about a decade ago but was arrested in May on charges of kidnapping and spousal battery. In 2015, during the Obama administration, he was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol near Lukeville, Arizona, and later released into the country. An immigration judge issued a final order of removal several months afterward.

The visit and subsequent DHS statements have sparked debate over immigration enforcement priorities and the role of lawmakers in oversight of detention facilities.