The Department of Homeland Security has denied a report that Secretary Kristi Noem is collaborating with a reality TV show producer on a show featuring immigrants.
The Daily Mail reported that Noem, whom Democrats have criticized for her publicized participation in raids and other DHS activities, supported the television show and wanted to proceed with its production.
“The reporting by the Daily Mail is completely false, and an affront to respectable journalism,” DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin told the Washington Examiner.
“Secretary Noem has not ‘backed’ or even reviewed the pitch of any scripted or reality show,” she said. “The Department of Homeland Security receives hundreds of television show pitches a year, ranging from documentaries surrounding [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] and [Customs and Border Protection] border operation to white collar investigations by [Homeland Security Investigations]. Each proposal undergoes a thorough vetting process prior to denial or approval. If the excuse for a reporter at the Daily Mail had even thought to ask, he would have learned the show in question is in the very beginning stages of that vetting process and has not received approval or denial by staff.”
McLaughlin told the outlet that the agency was reviewing the pitch and had a call with the producer, Canadian-born Rob Worsoff, who also produced the popular show Duck Dynasty. She added that she thinks “it’s a good idea.”
The outlet reported that the agency and Noem “have been working for weeks to get such a project greenlit from Netflix or another streaming or cable service.”
The show, called The American, would feature immigrants to the United States who are working on obtaining citizenship. They would compete in various competitions across the country in hopes of winning fast-tracked U.S. citizenship.
Worsoff told the Wall Street Journal that this “isn’t The Hunger Games for immigrants” and the losers would not be deported.
“This is not, ‘Hey, if you lose, we are shipping you out on a boat out of the country,’” he said.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM TRUMP’S MASS DEPORTATION PLAN
The producer said he has had no interaction with Noem and doesn’t know if she’s aware of the show idea, though DHS has given the idea positive feedback.
Worsoff told the outlet he also pitched the idea during the Obama and Biden administrations but didn’t manage a deal with them.