How Donald Trump Is Turning Deportation Into Reality TV

“They are trying to win the PR fight,” one immigration advocate said.

ICE agents Maryland AP-25027683902268

Alex Brandon/AP

The White House created a movie-poster-style image last week to celebrate its deportation flights. “Promises made. PROMISES KEPT,” it read in stylized font over an image of immigrants in chains boarding a military plane. On Monday, the administration shared a series of individual immigrants detained, complete with mug shots.

And this weekend, Dr. Phil tagged along as a special guest on immigration arrests in Chicago.

Immigration advocates told NOTUS they expected the Trump administration to try to make a huge PR stunt out of apprehensions and deportations, but the Dr. Phil cameo was a twist they felt laid the game out plainly. After a slew of bad press on immigration during his first term, the Trump team is eager to claim wins early and often on deportation efforts.