No, Dr. Phil wasn't present at L.A. ICE raids, but he taped interview with Trump's border czar
As Immigration and Customs Enforcement carries out raids across Los Angeles, former daytime talk show host Dr. Phil McGraw and his TV network MeritTV are covering the actions and protests in the city.
McGraw conducted an interview Friday with White House border czar Tom Homan, who was leading the agency's raids. A portion of the interview was posted on MeritTV's website and the network plans to air a conversation between the men that was 'taped the day before and the day after the L.A. operation' in two parts beginning Monday at 5 p.m. PT, according to a network spokesperson reached via email. MeritTV, which launched late last year, primarily features McGraw's show 'Dr. Phil Primetime,' where he comments on the news and interviews figures ranging from New York City Mayor Eric Adams to businessman and former L.A. mayoral candidate Rick Caruso.
The TV host has previously embedded with ICE officials during raids, including in Chicago earlier this year, where he and his crew taped arrests. However, that wasn't the case this time around in L.A., but crews from his network did capture footage from the enforcement action over the weekend.
'MeritTV news crews were on the ground during the recent ICE operation in L.A. on Friday,' a MeritTV spokesperson said. 'In order to not escalate any situation, Dr. Phil McGraw did not join and was not embedded, as he previously was in Chicago.'
The interview was taped at the Homeland Security Investigations' downtown field office. ICE declined to comment on the interview and whether McGraw was given advance notice of the raids.
McGraw was previously the host of his eponymous talk show, which ended in 2023 after 21 seasons. At the time, CBS Media Ventures, which syndicated the talk show, and McGraw said he wanted to expand his audience in a new venture because of 'grave concerns for the American family.' During the 2024 election, McGraw spoke at then-presidential candidate Trump's rally at Madison Square Garden, though he claimed it wasn't an endorsement. However, he has been a proponent of the administration's positions on immigration and he was recently named to the president's religious liberty commission.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
13 minutes ago
- New York Post
Trump admin sanctions El Chapo's sons and offers $10 million reward for their capture
The Trump administration imposed sanctions on Monday against the two fugitive sons of jailed Sinaloa Cartel boss Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman and offered up a $10 million reward for information leading to their arrests. Archivaldo Ivan Guzman and Jesus Alfredo Guzman run the 'Los Chapitos' faction of Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel, which has been at 'the forefront of trafficking fentanyl into the United States' since their father's imprisonment in the US, according to the State Department. Los Chapitos' ability to procure fentanyl precursor chemicals, combined with its penchant for violence and control of secret laboratories in Sinaloa, has allowed the syndicate to dominate the illicit drug trade. 3 El Chapo's sons run the 'Chapitos' faction of the Sinaloa Cartel. AP 'Los Chapitos is a powerful, hyperviolent faction of the Sinaloa Cartel at the forefront of fentanyl trafficking into the United States,' Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement announcing the sanctions. 'At the Department of the Treasury, we are executing on President Trump's mandate to completely eliminate drug cartels and take on violent leaders like 'El Chapo's' children,' Bessent added. 'Treasury is maximizing all available tools to stop the fentanyl crisis and help save lives.' The sanctions will block all property and interests in property and entities owned directly or indirectly by the Guzman brothers. 3 Archivaldo Ivan Guzman and his brother are both wanted by the US government for drug trafficking. Archivaldo and Jesus were also designated as targets under the State Department's Narcotics Rewards Program. The department has offered a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of each brother. 'We will continue to protect our nation by keeping illicit drugs off our streets and disrupting the revenue streams funding Mexico-based cartels' violent and criminal activity, ' State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said in a statement. 'Today's action further demonstrates the Trump Administration's unwavering commitment to eliminating cartels and ensuring the safety of the American people.' 3 The Trump administration has offered a $10 million reward for the capture of Jesus Alfredo Guzman and his brother. Additionally, the Treasury Department sanctioned several businesses controlled by Mexican businessman Jose Raul Nunez Rios and his make-up artist wife, Sheila Paola Urias Vazquez. The couple is believed to be financing an important Los Chapitos cell in Mazatlan, Mexico, which has been waging war against rival cartels and is engaged in drug trafficking, extortion, kidnapping and money laundering, according to the Trump administration. The sanctions follow the Trump administration's designation of the Sinaloa Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and Specially Designated Global Terrorist in February. El Chapo was convicted in 2019 on multiple conspiracy counts and sentenced to life in prison. He is serving his sentence at ADX Florence, a federal supermax prison in Colorado.
Yahoo
19 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Journalist Shot with Explosive Device While Wearing Press Badge at L.A. Protest Shares His 'Surprise' at Officers' Escalation
British photojournalist Nick Stern was hospitalized after being struck in the leg by a police-fired explosive while covering a protest over ICE raids in Los Angeles on Saturday night, June 7 He was rushed into emergency surgery the following morning, where doctors removed a "flash bang explosive device" In an interview with PEOPLE, Stern says he was photographing a peaceful group of demonstrators waving Mexican flags when the incident occurredPhotojournalist Nick Stern is recovering after being shot with an explosive device by law enforcement while covering a protest in Los Angeles over ICE raids, despite wearing a visible press badge and carrying professional camera equipment. Speaking from his hospital bed at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, Stern says he was 'surprised' by what he describes as a sudden escalation by deputies. 'I was photographing people who were just waving Mexican flags,' Stern tells PEOPLE. 'Then I felt this tremendous pain in my left thigh.' He is currently being treated following emergency surgery after the device became deeply embedded in his leg. The incident occurred around 9 p.m. local time on Saturday, June 7, during a protest that erupted in response to reported Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids across Southern California. Demonstrators gathered to voice opposition to immigration enforcement, prompting a strong response from law enforcement and escalating into clashes. Stern says he was standing behind a group of peaceful protesters — not hiding, not obstructing — when the shot was fired. 'I always wear my press ID around my neck so it's highly visible,' he says. 'I was carrying a large camera with a video camera attached. I make sure I'm clearly identifiable as media.' 'I was surprised they were firing anything at all,' he adds. 'Where I was standing, there was nothing more than people waving flags. I wasn't aware of anyone throwing projectiles or doing anything aggressive.' According to Stern, it was members of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department who opened fire from what he describes as a 'skirmish line' formed behind their vehicles. 'There was no approach. They were just firing from a defensive position behind their cars,' he says. The projectile, later removed during surgery, was a flash bang explosive device in a hard plastic casing. 'It's about three inches long and an inch in diameter, with a rounded nose. It completely buried itself into my leg muscle. It wasn't a surface injury, it was fully embedded," he explains. Stern, who has covered protests around the world, says this isn't the first time he's been injured on the job. During the 2020 George Floyd protests, he was struck by a foam projectile — a bruise that lasted weeks, but didn't cause any permanent damage. 'That was painful, but it didn't break the skin. This one? I needed surgery.' After being hit Saturday. night, Stern says he called for help. A group of nearby protesters rushed over, carried him to the sidewalk, and flagged down a medic. 'They cut off my pants to look at the injury and applied first aid,' he recalls. 'I actually passed out from the pain.' He was taken to the hospital and underwent surgery the next morning to remove the device. Though he's eager to return home to attend his son's graduation, Stern says recovery will take time and effort. He's currently unable to walk and remains hooked up to antibiotics and a wound drainage system. 'The wound is so large they had to attach a vacuum drain to pull out fluid,' he says. 'I'll be sent home with it, connected to my leg 24/7 for at least two weeks.' One of his main concerns now is infection. Because the device was embedded so deeply and left in his body overnight, he's being closely monitored and treated with IV antibiotics. 'Fortunately, my wife is a nurse and a wound care specialist, so she can do a lot of the procedures at home,' he says. 'But right now, I can't even stand. I'm hoping physical therapy today will help determine the next step.' As for how the experience might change the way he approaches his work, Stern tells PEOPLE it's complicated. 'I'd like to say it won't change how I work,' he says while quoting world-renowned photographer Robert Capa. '(He) said, 'If your pictures aren't good enough, you're not close enough.' That's been my philosophy. But being close puts you at risk.' 'Law enforcement in Los Angeles really needs to look at how they treat the media,' he adds. 'There's been clear targeting. Not just now, but going back to 2020. It's disgraceful that nothing has changed.' Still, Stern says the work remains essential even if the risks have become more personal. 'Your safety and health should come first. But if you lead with that, you can't do the job you're out there to do,' he says. 'Documenting what's happening in the U.S. right now is so important; socially, politically, culturally. It needs to be seen. It needs to be recorded. We can't turn away from it.' As he continues to recover, Stern says the incident has left him shaken and with lingering questions. 'I have a possible belief that they do target media, but I have nothing to prove that,' he says. Despite it all, he remains committed to the work and to telling the truth, no matter how dangerous it becomes. A representative for the L.A. Sheriff's Department said in a statement shared with PEOPLE on Monday, June 9: 'The Department is still reviewing video footage of the incident involving United Kingdom reporter Nick Stern, and it is not clear at this time whether our department was involved in this incident. After reviewing the footage involving Australian reporter Lauren Tomasi, it appears that it involved another law enforcement agency and not the Sheriff's Department.' 'We are committed to an open and transparent relationship with members of the media and are committed to ensuring they can perform their duties safely while covering events, including protests, civil disobedience, and public gatherings," the statement continues. "The LA County Sheriff's Department values its relationship with the media and remains firmly committed to transparency, especially during emergencies and critical incidents. We recognize the essential role journalists play in keeping the public accurately informed, and we strive to facilitate media access safely and effectively.' 'LASD prioritizes maintaining access for credentialed members of the press, even in restricted areas when safe to do so. Our goal is to ensure that the media can carry out its responsibilities while we uphold public safety and operational integrity,' the statement reads. 'The LASD does not condone any actions that intentionally target members of the press, and we continuously train our personnel to distinguish and respect the rights of clearly identified journalists in the field. We remain open to working with all media organizations to improve communication, transparency, and safety for all parties during public safety operations.' Read the original article on People
Yahoo
19 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Congressman Mark Green retiring from U.S. House of Representatives
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Tennessee's 7th District Congressman, Mark Green, will retire from the U.S. House of Representatives, the federal lawmaker announced Monday. In a statement, Rep. Green announced he was retiring from Congressional service due to taking a private sector position that was 'too exciting to pass up.' Per his statement, Green has informed Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) he will resign as soon as the House votes on the reconciliation package. 📧 Have breaking news come to you: → He called his time in Congress 'the honor of a lifetime,' touting 'historic tax cuts,' sweeping border security legislation and pro-life legislation as some of his proudest accomplishments in Washington. Green initially planned to exit public life at the end of his previous term, announcing last February he wouldn't seek a fourth term in office; however, he quickly backtracked just four weeks later. He easily defeated a challenge from former Nashville mayor Megan Barry in the Nov. 5, 2024, general election. Green's full statement reads as follows: It is with a heavy heart that I announce my retirement from Congress. Recently, I was offered an opportunity in the private sector that was took exciting to pass up. As a result, today I notified the Speaker of the House of Representatives that I will resign from Congress as soon as the House votes once again on the reconciliation package. It was the honor of a lifetime to represent the people of Tennessee in congress. They asked me to deliver on the conservative values and principles we all hold dear, and I did my level best to do so. Along the way, we passed historic tax cuts, worked with President Trump to secure the border, and defended innocent life. I am extremely proud of my work as Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, and want to thank my staff, both in my seventh district office, as well as the professional staff on that committee. I have now served the public for nearly four decades. The Army took me to Iraq and Afghanistan. The people sent me to the Tennessee legislature and the halls of Congress. Along the way, I have often remarked on the strength of the men and women I have served with. I know that the integrity, decency, and faith of the American people are what powered us for the first 250 years, and will power us for another 250 and beyond. I can proudly look back at my time in Congress and the success that we have accomplished on behalf of Tennesseans and the American people. I am grateful to Speaker Johnson and House Leadership for placing their trust in me to chair the Committee on Homeland Security, lead the effort to impeach former Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and to pass H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act, the strongest border security legislation in history to ever pass the House. However, my time in Congress has come to an end. Though I planned to retire at the end of the previous Congress, I stayed to ensure that President Trump's border security measures and priorities make it through Congress. By overseeing the border security portion of the reconciliation package, I have done that. After that, I will retire, and there will be a special election to replace me. I have no doubt that my colleagues in this Congress will continue to strengthen the cause of freedom. May God bless them, and the United States of America. Rep. Mark Green (TN-07) Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
