Dr. Phil McGraw isn’t playing media darling in the latest ICE raid controversy. On June 6, 2025, Los Angeles buzzed with federal agents targeting Ambiance Apparel, a clothing company knee-deep in allegations of money laundering and customs fraud. The raids sparked violent protests, media misfires, and a sharp rebuttal from the TV host himself.
McGraw, accused by outlets like CNN and MSNBC of cozying up with ICE, set the record straight in a Daily Mail op-ed. The raids, part of a multi-agency operation with the FBI, ATF, and IRS, zeroed in on Ambiance Apparel’s shady dealings. McGraw wasn’t storming warehouses but merely interviewing Border Czar Tom Homan for MeritTV.
Media outlets pounced, with CNN’s Brian Stelter claiming McGraw was “embedded” with ICE. A MeritTV spokesperson quickly clarified that McGraw only attended a briefing and drove through the raid area with Homan. The correction didn’t stop MSNBC’s Ja’han Jones from labeling McGraw a “MAGA propagandist.”
Jones’s jab, accusing McGraw of fueling “right-wing hysteria,” misses the mark. The raids weren’t a Trumpian spectacle but a calculated move backed by a federal search warrant. Ambiance Apparel’s rap sheet, including a 2020 guilty plea to conspiracy and money laundering, justified the scrutiny.
McGraw’s involvement began with an on-camera chat with Homan on June 5 and 7, 2025. He’d been embedded with ICE before, in Chicago, but not this time. His presence at a Los Angeles ICE briefing alongside other agencies was purely observational.
The Washington Post’s Monica Hesse mused that McGraw was “apparently embedded,” implying a reality TV stunt. Her quip ignores the 40 detainees, including convicted rapists and drug traffickers, nabbed during the operation. This wasn’t a scripted drama but a lawful crackdown.
Ambiance Apparel, led by Sang Bum “Ed” Noh, isn’t new to trouble. In 2020, Noh served a year in prison after the company admitted to evading millions in tariffs. The Los Angeles Times’ claim that workers “found community” at the company feels tone-deaf given its criminal history.
The raids, McGraw noted, were no “random round-up” but a precise strike. “Their coordinated multi-agency operations were conducted under a duly authorized federal search warrant,” he wrote. Homan confirmed the investigation targeted ongoing fraud and laundering schemes.
Yet, the Los Angeles Times’ Mary McNamara called it a “made-for-TV event.” Her barb at McGraw and Trump sidesteps the operation’s legal grounding. Painting this as political theater dismisses the serious crimes at play.
Post-raid protests spiraled into chaos, with anti-ICE activists attacking agents, police, and businesses. President Trump deployed the National Guard to quell the riots. McGraw suggested the rioters were “motivated more by politics than principle,” a fair point given the destruction.
The Los Angeles Public Press bemoaned “fear” in the Fashion District, but the real fear stemmed from violent mobs, not ICE. Protesters’ actions overshadowed any legitimate gripes, turning a lawful operation into a battleground. Empathy for workers doesn’t excuse torching local shops.
McGraw’s critics, like Hesse, lean on tired tropes of “right-wing hysteria.” Yet, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed the detainees included serious criminals. Hyperbolic headlines don’t change the fact that ICE targeted a company with a proven criminal record.
McGraw pointed out a historical irony: Barack Obama deported nearly three million unauthorized migrants. Where was the media’s fury then? The selective outrage over these raids reeks of partisan posturing, not principled journalism.
The raids’ fallout highlights a broader issue: the media’s rush to sensationalize. Stelter’s initial report, corrected only after pushback, shows how narratives trump facts. Jones’ “propagandist” label is less about McGraw and more about scoring political points.
Dr. Phil’s role was overstated, but the raids were legit. Ambiance Apparel’s crimes, from tariff evasion to money laundering, demanded action. Critics can cry “MAGA,” but law enforcement isn’t a reality show—it’s reality.
