The Department of Homeland Security has strongly condemned comedian Rosie O'Donnell for what it called "disgusting, reckless and categorically FALSE smears" regarding conditions at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities.
In a recent social media video, O'Donnell alleged that migrants were being subjected to sexual assault and pregnancy in ICE detention centers, drawing comparisons to "concentration camps" and referencing the Holocaust. She also claimed that children were being raped in custody.
DHS stated that these assertions have contributed to a significant increase in threats against its officers, reporting a 1,300% rise in assaults, a 3,300% increase in vehicular attacks, and an 8,000% surge in death threats.
The department spokesperson dismissed comparisons of detention centers to World War II internment camps as "deranged and lazy." The DHS also criticized public figures for remaining silent on what it described as a "humanitarian crisis" manufactured by the Biden administration's immigration policies, and the exploitation of hundreds of thousands of children.
"These celebrities remain quiet about the humanitarian crisis that was manufactured by the Biden administration’s open border policies and the several hundred thousand children exploited, trafficked and missing on their watch," the DHS spokesman said.
O'Donnell has a history of criticizing the Trump administration and ICE. In July 2025, she previously compared ICE to the Nazi Gestapo.
The DHS asserted that claims of subprime conditions in ICE detention centers are false, stating that detainees receive three meals a day, clean water, clothing, bedding, and access to phones. The department maintained that ICE detention standards exceed those of many U.S. prisons holding citizens and that comprehensive medical care, including prenatal services for the rare instances of pregnancy in custody, is provided.
"Pregnancy in ICE detention is exceedingly rare, making up 0.15% of all illegal aliens currently in custody, as of June 30," the DHS spokesman said. "Pregnant women receive regular prenatal visits, mental health services, nutritional support and accommodations aligned with community standards of care."
The department emphasized that ICE focuses on arresting individuals with criminal records, noting that nearly 70% of ICE arrests involve illegal aliens charged or convicted of crimes in the U.S. The DHS also highlighted a program offering financial incentives and flights for individuals to self-deport.
"Our message is clear: If you come into our country illegally and break our laws, we will find you wherever you are, we will arrest you and we will deport you," the spokesman concluded.