Fact Check: Media’s “L.A. Man” Is Mexican Illegal Alien Who Assaulted ICE Officer

Media continues to fail to report the facts about criminal illegal aliens

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) set the record straight about Omar Pulido-Bastida—a Mexican illegal alien—who was charged with spitting on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer in Los Angeles (LA). While the media has disingenuously called Pulido-Bastida a “L.A. man,” he is NOT a U.S. citizen, and he has an extensive, violent criminal history.

Pulido-Bastida, the media’s so-called “L.A. man,” has also previously been convicted of robbery and has been arrested for both murder and assault. He was previously deported before he illegally entered the country again. This is just the most recent example of how the media has deceptively portrayed criminal aliens to the public.

The media’s consistent and duplicitous mischaracterization of illegal aliens as a “L.A. man,” “Maryland man,” and other misleading descriptors is an attempt to garner sympathy for murderers, drug and human traffickers, pedophiles, rapists, and violent criminals. DHS will continue to push back on the false narratives hiding the facts about illegal alien crime.  

“The media is attempting to force feed Americans that this is a ‘L.A. Man’—it's not. This is a criminal illegal alien who should have never been in our country. This previously deported illegal alien criminal spit on an ICE law enforcement officer,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Too many members of the media continue to purposefully mislead the public about illegal alien crime. Americans deserve to know the facts.”  

Below are several examples of the many headlines showing how the media has falsely portrayed violent illegal aliens:

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an alleged “Maryland man,” is actually an illegal alien from El Salvador and faces charges for human smuggling, including women and children.

Felix Jeronimo-Rojas, an alleged “Brooklyn man,” is actually an illegal alien from Mexico who ICE lodged a detainer for after he raped a corpse on a Manhattan subway train.

Jose Ibara, an alleged “Georgia man,” is actually an illegal alien from Venezuela who was indicted by a grand jury for the kidnapping, rape, and brutal murder of college student Laken Riley.

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