Analysts stunned as DHS official caught in 'extremely implausible' corner over ICE arrest

A Department of Homeland Security official seemed to back herself into an "extremely implausible" corner over a recent immigration arrest, according to analysts.

Over the weekend, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials conducted a raid in St. Paul, Minnesota, where they detained a U.S. citizen, ChongLy Thao. Video shows officers taking Thao, wearing just his underwear, with a blanket draped over him as officers took him from his home. Thao was later returned to his home and was not charged with any crimes, according to reports.

DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin posted a lengthy explanation on X, where she said the agency was looking for two convicted sex criminals at the address. Thao's family forcefully pushed back on those assertions in a statement and accused DHS of lying about their family member.

Sam Stein, managing editor of The Bulwark, and Tim Miller, host of "The Bulwark Podcast," discussed McLaughlin's comments in a new reaction video for "Bulwark Takes" on Monday night.

"I just want to be straight about Tricia McGlaughlin. She has been caught lying so many times ... that it's irresponsible to take what she says seriously," Stein said. You just can't do it. And so you shouldn't."

Miller added that he was surprised McLaughlin would issue such an explanation.

"I guess it's possible that three 80-year-old young men all live in the same home and two of them are sex offenders and one is not," Miller said. "But that seems extremely implausible to me."

"You can't find the people that you're looking for, but you've successfully detained many people who have done nothing wrong and are citizens," Miller added. "Not exactly batting a thousand there."