The Department of Homeland Security says The New York Times refused to run a full-page advertisement highlighting recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests in Minnesota, denying the request without offering a specific explanation.
According to DHS, the proposed ad was intended to spotlight Operation Metro Surge and would have featured 30 mugshots of individuals arrested in Minnesota who also had additional criminal convictions. Those convictions ranged from domestic violence to rape and homicide. The ad’s central message was blunt, stating in all capital letters that these were “some of the 10,000 criminals ICE law enforcement has risked their lives to arrest in Minnesota.”
The advertisement also took aim at sanctuary city policies, stating that cities like Minneapolis protect criminals rather than turning them over to federal authorities. It concluded with a clear tagline: “ICE saves innocent lives.”
Emails reviewed by The Daily Wire show that DHS communicated with a media placement service it works with on January 26 regarding the ad buy. In those emails, DHS was told that the Times was “not able to accept the ad in its current form.” When the department requested a formal explanation on official letterhead, the Times declined that request as well, responding that feedback is typically provided through email.
The newspaper noted that it receives a large volume of advertising submissions every day and that each generally takes one or two business days to fully review. However, as of the time of publication, DHS said it had still not received a justification for why the ad was rejected.
The dispute comes as Operation Metro Surge has recently deployed resources and personnel into the Minneapolis area, leading to thousands of arrests. Those operations have unfolded alongside a rise in anti-ICE protests in the region. ICE enforcement actions have been ongoing nationwide since Donald Trump took office last January.
Assistant Secretary for Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin sharply criticized the Times’ decision, accusing major media outlets of refusing to acknowledge ICE’s work. She said the public is being kept in the dark about the removal of what she described as dangerous public safety threats, including murderers, rapists, gang members, and child predators.
McLaughlin said the Times would not even run what she described as a straightforward advertisement showing violent criminals that ICE officers had arrested at personal risk. She argued that the rejection amounted to deliberate suppression of public safety information and said such decisions should outrage Americans. According to McLaughlin, when the press shields offenders while ignoring or minimizing the actions of law enforcement, it betrays public trust and puts lives at risk.
The controversy unfolds amid growing political pressure on ICE following protests that intensified after the shootings of Alex Pretti. Democrats have increasingly called for major reforms to ICE and Border Patrol operations. The Daily Wire reported that Chuck Schumer and other Democrats want the Trump administration to switch from administrative warrants to judicial warrants, a move that could significantly limit the number of ICE arrests.
The New York Times has previously drawn attention for full-page ads it has chosen to run. Past examples include an ad from an 80-year-old man urging Trump to resign, as well as ads from Christy Walton calling for “No Kings” protests and from The Onion criticizing Congress and the Trump administration. In 2007, MoveOn.org also ran a controversial ad during the Bush administration targeting Gen. David Petraeus.
DHS officials say the contrast between those ads and the rejection of an ICE-focused public safety message raises serious questions about editorial judgment and transparency.
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