As Donald Trump campaigned for the presidency promising unprecedented levels of deportation for illegal aliens, critics painted dark scenarios of a nation living in fear as federal agents terrorized people under a shroud of secrecy. Instead, the Trump White House has opted for full transparency, and social media clips of alien arrests have become America’s guilty pleasure rivaling anything on streaming services.

On podcasts and other interviews prior to Trump’s second inauguration, border czar Tom Homan promised transparency in alien arrest operations. Given most politicians’ aversion to sunlight, many Americans were probably expecting data on arrests and a mug shot or two. What we are getting instead are videos of Dr. Phil, America’s wise uncle, embedded with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on operations in Chicago. Dr. Phil is riding along with Homan, talking to arrested aliens, and witnessing ICE agents in action. One such clip on Dr. Phil’s X account already has more than 4 million views.

The clips are reminiscent of COPS, the popular police reality show that records arrests made by local police squads. The twist now is that, unlike a show with mostly unknown officers, familiar faces like those of Dr. Phil and Homan are participating. The fact that the videos are prevalent on social media, focus on America’s top political issue, and concern a top priority of a currently popular president makes them must-watch fare.

Why are do so many people find these videos riveting rather than repulsive, as critics would have us believe they should? Americans are riveted precisely because they voted for this kind of immigration enforcement, and there is gratification in seeing a fundamental promise of the Trump campaign being kept. Seeing ICE agents moving swiftly and strategically while treating those in custody humanely is also debunking the narrative that such operations would be barbaric and intrusive neighborhood sweeps.