The media is trying to portray 75-year-old John Gannon as a victim of President Trump's oh-so-callous efforts to return illegal aliens to their homelands. A Texan and a self-described "lifelong Republican" who voted for Trump, Gannon ran to the media to lament that his much younger Venezuelan "fiancée" was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents last month as she tried to board a plane in Houston.
And after Gannon's story went viral, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) weighed in with a brutal fact check.
Let's lay down some facts before we dive into the story.
Gannon is the very wealthy owner of "more than 1,000 billboards in the U.S. as well as several establishments in Mexico, including a hotel and a restaurant." A prime catch for a gold digger, you could say.
His "fiancée," 45-year-old Yasmin Suarez Reyes, is a Venezuelan with Spanish citizenship who entered the U.S. legally in October 2023 on a 90-day visa. She applied for asylum in early 2024 (the case is still pending), and stayed here illegally after her visa expired.
And anyone here illegally has committed a federal crime and is, therefore, subject to being treated like a criminal.
Suarez Reyes, occupation unknown, and Gannon were headed to a trade show in Las Vegas when she was taken into custody by ICE at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Which is both funny and appropriate because of all that "lifelong Republican" stuff.
The sob story of the May-December romance done wrong was too good for CBS News to pass up; they devoted an entire segment to it Thursday on CBS Mornings and promoted it heavily on social media.
CBS News: 75-year-old John Gannon is a lifelong Republican who voted for President Trump.
— Camilo Montoya-Galvez (@camiloreports) August 6, 2026
But he says he now regrets that decision after his fiancée was arrested by ICE in Houston.
"Go after the criminals. We're all for that. But leave the mom and pops and the kids alone.” pic.twitter.com/IrOSijFGXR
Gannon laid it on thick.
"I voted for Trump," he told CBS News during an interview Wednesday, before criticizing ICE. "They are picking up law-abiding citizens. They're destroying families, jobs."
Asked what he would tell Mr. Trump if given the chance to talk to him, Gannon said he would ask the president, "What are you doing?"
"Go after the criminals. We're all for that. But leave the mom and pops and the kids alone. Man, he's destroying families," Gannon added.
In addition to the media blitz, Gannon hired immigration lawyer Anne Kennedy – also, CBS News wants you to know, a "lifelong Republican" – to brainstorm ways to keep Suarez Reyes in the United States. Unsurprisingly, marriage to Gannon is an option.
Kennedy said Suarez Reyes would also have an avenue to apply for permanent U.S. residency, or a green card, if she were able to marry Gannon, an American citizen.
You could see that one coming from a mile away. DHS had some thoughts:
REMINDER: A pending immigration application does NOT confer legal status.
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) August 7, 2026
ICE arrested Yasmin Suarez Reyes, an illegal alien from Venezuela, after she overstayed her lawful admission to the U.S. by OVER 2 YEARS.
Don’t be like Yasmin — take advantage of our CBP Home offer and… https://t.co/IUNkSOmKIi
REMINDER: A pending immigration application does NOT confer legal status.
ICE arrested Yasmin Suarez Reyes, an illegal alien from Venezuela, after she overstayed her lawful admission to the U.S. by OVER 2 YEARS.
Don’t be like Yasmin — take advantage of our CBP Home offer and get $2,600 AND a FREE flight home.
Mr. Gannon obviously thought he was making a heart-wrenching appeal to the masses by going to the media, but, needless to say, the internet is far savvier and had a field day with the story.
Here are a few choice reactions on X: "If I'm 75 I should be able to buy a 25 year old hot Latina without Trump trying to deport her. I thought this was America." And ... "Deport. And deport her as well."
And then there was this:
Hey @grok how much air time has CBS given to all the raped and or dead women by illegals? pic.twitter.com/Wcrs7UQcWO
— FrankTown (@FrankTown) August 6, 2026
Gannon describes his "fiancee" as "good as gold," which begs the question: If he loves her that much, what's stopping him from joining her in Spain or Venezuela?
Editor’s Note: Thanks to President Trump, illegal immigration into our great country has virtually stopped. Despite the radical left's lies, new legislation wasn't needed to secure our border, just a new president.
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