Kristi Noem‘s Department of Homeland Security lashed out at The New York Times because a days-old story on a corpse attack did not name the suspect’s immigration status.
“The New York Times refused to mention anywhere in its 400-word story on the monstrous rape of a corpse on the NYC subway that the depraved perpetrator is an ILLEGAL alien," DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin wrote on X Sunday. “Why not report the facts, @nytimes?"
The Times reported on Monday the arrest of Felix Rojas, who was charged with first-degree rape after police said he sexually assaulted the corpse of a man who died aboard an R train in New York City last month. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) revealed on Thursday that Rojas had illegally crossed the border multiple times since 1998.
McLaughlin added a screenshot of the story’s headline and lead image, though she omitted its April 28 publication date—three days before the New York Post revealed Rojas’ immigration status.
“Our report on the arrest of Felix Rojas was published on Monday, April 28, three days before Immigration and Customs Enforcement publicly revealed)" href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/05/01/ice-lodges-detainers-against-violent-aliens-over-corpse-rape-shooting-spree__;!!LsXw!U43WNj3huF7OSg3fUj-uw_vPRvOnqZKEEnOdPA9liVnbGXLxul1Pfp1TYQ5ouAXdvRd0XGJiH-WXJkn8NDLtLXtwi8SMu8WIqg$" rel="">publicly revealed he had illegally entered the country multiple times," a Times spokesperson said. “Our story does not include details on immigration status as neither the police nor ICE had disclosed it.”
“With impunity, open-border policies have allowed violent criminal aliens to terrorize America’s towns and cities,” McLaughlin told Fox News in a statement. “Under President Trump and Secretary [Kristi] Noem’s leadership, ICE is working around the clock to remove the worst of the worst from our communities. If you are here illegally and break the law, we will hunt you down, arrest you, and lock you up.”
Camera-ready Noem has earned the nickname “ICE Barbie” for dolling up and posing for photo ops in front of detained migrants and during raids, among other stunts.
Rojas was arrested after police alleged he approached the dead or dying body of Jorge Gonzalez on an R train parked at Whitehall Station in the financial district on April 8, according to the Post. Rojas allegedly then stifled through Gonzalez’s pockets to try and rob him before the alleged rape. The Times reported that he lives in Brooklyn and has no criminal record.
Gonzalez died of natural causes, authorities said, according to the Post.
