Fact Check: Did Malia Obama donate $15K to ICE?

WASHINGTON, DC: Following the massive backlash against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the federal agency that is being criticised for its aggressive immigration crackdowns, a claim is circulating on social media platforms that Malia Obama, the daughter of former President Barack Obama, had donated to ICE. Let us fact-check the claim.

Claim: Malia Obama donated to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

An X post, published on Thursday, February 12, by an account called Gene Parmesan, claimed that Malia Obama has donated to ICE and praised President Donald Trump for his immigration efforts. 

The post came with the picture of Malia and the ICE emblem, accompanied by a caption saying, “BREAKING: Malia Obama has donated $15k to ICE.”

“My father deported 3 million people. Trump is putting up rookie numbers, and ICE deserves full funding.” “Wow.”

As of this writing, the post has garnered a million views and thousands of likes.

Fact Check: No credible evidence to support the claim 

The claim, however, is false as there is no credible evidence showing that Malia has donated $15k or any amount to ICE. 

A search on Google or other search engines produces no legitimate results supporting the viral. Moreover, no prominent news media outlets have reported on the rumor, which, if true, would have made headlines. 

The ICE is a federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Homeland Security, which is funded by tax dollars and does not accept direct monetary donations.

A fact check by Grok, the AI assistant of X, has also confirmed the claim to be fake, stating, “No evidence supports the claim that Malia Obama donated $15k to ICE or made that statement."

"Web searches across news outlets return no matching reports — likely satire or misinformation. Obama's admin did oversee ~3M deportations, but the quote appears fabricated.”

Federal agents face backlash amid immigration crackdowns

The claim surfaced as the federal agents are facing public hatred amid the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.

Ambitious arrest quotas have also contributed to their tumbling morale, reports have claimed.

Though officials have supported the government’s goal of deporting illegal migrants, many have shown disappointment in the way the operations have been carried out.

Gil Kerlikowske, who led Customs and Border Patrol during the Obama administration, slammed Top Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino’s 'turn and burn' way of handling protestors and agitators.

However, Tricia McLaughlin, Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary, has said in a statement to The Independent that ICE and border patrol agents 'get up every morning to try and make our communities safer.'