DHS Condemns NYT Coverage of Convicted Murderer Deportation

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has sharply criticized The New York Times for its coverage of Orville Etoria, a convicted Jamaican murderer deported under the Trump administration in July. DHS accused the newspaper of downplaying Etoria's criminal history, which includes murder, armed robbery, weapon possession, and forcible theft, and condemned the report for focusing on his educational achievements in prison rather than the severity of his crimes. Etoria, sentenced to 25 years to life for a 1996 Brooklyn murder, was allowed by the Biden administration to remain in the U.S. after his release in 2021 under ICE supervision despite a standing deportation order from 2009, before being deported to Eswatini, a country where he holds no citizenship. DHS described the deportees on the flight, including Etoria, as "depraved monsters" and asserted that their home countries, including Jamaica, refused to take them back, a claim disputed by Jamaican officials. The controversy highlights a clash between DHS's enforcement stance under President Trump and criticisms from immigration advocates who argue the Times fairly reported Etoria's background and deportation circumstances. DHS vowed to continue enforcing immigration laws vigorously, rejecting the characterization of its actions as unjust or "disgraceful."