White House press secretary declares all illegal immigrants are CRIMINALS, unveils media access changes

02/02/2025 / By Belle Carter

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt declared that all illegal immigrants are criminals due to their violation of U.S. immigration laws, marking a shift from the previous administration’s stance.
Leavitt announced the creation of “new media seats” for journalists and content creators, including representatives from Breitbart News and Axios, to diversify media representation and reach a broader audience.
The Trump administration froze federal aid, affecting Medicaid payments and causing disruptions. Leavitt defended the freeze as a measure for responsible fiscal management, though she acknowledged the need to check on the specific impact on Medicaid.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other Democrats criticized the federal aid freeze as an overreach of executive power, warning of potential negative impacts on communities and individuals.
Leavitt’s first press briefing highlighted a strong stance on immigration, an expansion of media access and a commitment to traditional conservative values, setting the stage for the administration’s priorities and governance approach.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt declared on Tuesday, Jan. 28, that all illegal immigrants are criminals because they have violated U.S. immigration laws.

The 27-year-old Leavitt, the youngest person to hold the position, made the remarks during her first press briefing of President Donald Trump’ second administration. Leavitt’s comments came in response to a reporter’s query about the criminal backgrounds of immigrants apprehended by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

“All of them because they illegally broke our nation’s laws, and therefore, they are criminals, as far as this administration goes,” Leavitt stated.

She emphasized that this perspective represents a “big culture shift” from the previous administration, which did not categorize all illegal immigrants as criminals. (Related: ICE begins NATIONWIDE raids targeting criminal illegal immigrants.)

Leavitt also announced a new standard for White House press briefings, introducing “new media seats” for journalists and content creators who produce “news-related content.” Breitbart News Washington Bureau Chief Matthew Boyle and Axios co-founder Mike Allen were among the first to occupy these seats.

“This is a priority of this White House to honor the First Amendment,” Leavitt said. “Americans are consuming their news media from various different platforms, especially young people. As the youngest press secretary in history, I take great pride in opening up this room to new media voices to share the president’s message with as many Americans as possible.”

The move to include new media outlets like Axios and Breitbart is part of a broader strategy to expand the administration’s reach and influence. Leavitt encouraged independent journalists, podcasters, bloggers and other content creators to apply for press credentials, promising to restore over 400 White House press passes that were revoked under the previous administration.

Federal aid freeze and its implications

During the briefing, Leavitt faced questions about the Trump administration’s decision to freeze federal aid, which took effect on Monday, Jan. 27. She defended the move as a necessary step to ensure responsible stewardship of tax dollars.

“That’s what this pause is focused on, being good stewards of tax dollars,” Leavitt said.

However, the freeze has already caused disruptions, with Medicaid payments appearing to be on hold as access to online portals was blocked across the country. When asked if she could assure that no individual on Medicaid would lose coverage, Leavitt said she would check back on the issue. She emphasized that the freeze does not apply to individual assistance programs like Social Security, Medicare, food stamps and welfare benefits.

Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), have criticized the freeze as an overreach of executive power.

“More lawlessness and chaos in America as Donald Trump’s Administration blatantly disobeys the law by holding up virtually all vital funds that support programs in every community across the country,” Schumer said in a statement. “If this continues, the American people will pay an awful price.”

Leavitt’s debut as White House press secretary set the tone for the second Trump administration, highlighting a firm stance on immigration and a commitment to expanding media access. Her remarks and policy announcements reflect the administration’s priorities and its approach to governance, which is expected to be marked by strong executive actions and a focus on traditional conservative values. As the administration moves forward, the impact of these policies on immigration, federal aid and media relations will be closely watched by both supporters and critics.

Head over to WhiteHouse.news for related stories.

Watch the video below where Leavitt talks about Trump taking necessary actions to secure the border.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.