DHS fires back at Senate Dems over ICE detainee death claims: 'Trying to twist data'

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Tricia McLaughlin warns of ‘campaign of terror’ against ICE after New Year’s Eve terror plot foiled

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin joins ‘America Reports’ to discuss the FBI’s uncovering of a New Year’s Eve terror plot that allegedly sought to harm ICE agents.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is pushing back against claims from Senate Democrats that 2025 has become the deadliest year in decades for immigrants held in federal custody. 

In a post to X Saturday, DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin slammed allegations made by the Senate Judiciary Democrats’ account, claiming "30 immigrants have died in ICE custody since Donald Trump took office, making 2025 the deadliest year in ICE detention since the early 2000s."

McLaughlin swiftly fired back, accusing Senate Democrats of "trying to twist data to smear ICE law enforcement."

"There has been NO spike in deaths. Consistent with data over the past decade, death rates in custody are 0.00007%," she said.

ICE IS NICE: AMFEST ATTENDEES OVERWHELMINGLY CALL FOR DHS TO TARGET THEIR HOMETOWNS AS DEMS SPURN AGENTS

DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin on Saturday slammed allegations made by the Senate Judiciary Democrats’ account. (Fox News)

McLaughlin also argued that those held in ICE custody receive appropriate medical care and a "higher standard of care" than most U.S. prisons.

"As bed space has rapidly expanded, we have maintained a higher standard of care than most prisons that hold U.S. citizens, including providing access to proper medical care," she said. "For many illegal aliens this is the best healthcare they have received their entire lives."

DHS FIRES BACK AFTER DEM LAWMAKER CLAIMS SHE WAS 'PUSHED ASIDE AND PEPPER SPRAYED' DURING ICE RAID 

ICE agents look over lists of names and their hearing times and locations inside the Federal Plaza courthouse in New York City.  (Bryan R. Smith/AFP via Getty Images)

The response came just one day after DHS touted that ICE's "Christmas gift to Americans" came early as agents pulled more illegal immigrants with criminal records off the streets.

"This holiday season, ICE is working around the clock to ensure silent nights and safer streets," DHS said in its announcement.

DHS PACKAGES LATEST ICE ARRESTS AS 'CHRISTMAS GIFT TO AMERICANS'

An ICE agent waits in a hallway outside a courtroom in New York Federal Plaza Immigration Court.  (Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images)

On Friday, DHS said that ICE had arrested illegal immigrants across the country whose criminal records include burglary, robbery and aggravated kidnapping. Homeland Security declared the latest defendants to be some of the "worst of the worst."

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A spokesperson for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Fox News Digital's Rachel Wolf contributed to this report.