Members of the ‘Squad’ and other leading Democrats are facing growing criticism for using inflammatory rhetoric that federal officials claim has contributed to the dehumanization of ICE agents. This controversy has intensified following a deadly shooting at an ICE field office in Dallas, where a gunman opened fire, killing one person and injuring two others. The FBI identified the shooter as 29-year-old Joshua Jahn, who etched the word ‘anti-ICE’ onto his rounds before taking his own life. This incident has sparked a debate over the role of political rhetoric in influencing public perception of law enforcement agencies.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has called on Democrats to stop demonizing ICE officers, emphasizing that they are ‘heroes’ who ‘do their jobs to keep Americans safe.’ However, several Democratic lawmakers have continued to express their anti-ICE views on social media. Rep. Nikki Budzinski, a member of the ‘Squad,’ accused ICE agents of engaging in ‘dangerous and reckless immigration operations’ that put the public at risk. In a post on X, she stated that she had ‘joined the Illinois delegation in demanding answers about DHS’s dangerous and reckless operations in our state.’
Other lawmakers, including Sen. Mark Warner and Rep. Robin Kelly, have also faced backlash for their anti-ICE statements. Warner, a Virginia senator, accused ICE of ‘picking up moms as they drop off their kids to daycare or people going to work,’ while Kelly, a Democratic senatorial candidate, called ICE ‘using Gestapo tactics’ against the American people. These statements have drawn criticism from some within the Democratic Party, as they are seen as potentially encouraging the violence that has led to an alarming increase in assaults on ICE officers.
Meanwhile, Rep. Ilhan Omar, another member of the ‘Squad,’ reposted a since-deleted news story that accused ICE agents of using a 5-year-old autistic child as ‘bait’ to catch her illegal immigrant father. Homeland Security has since denied the report, stating that the father abandoned the child after being pursued by agents. Omar’s post, which called the situation ‘vile and beyond cruel,’ prompted calls for the abolition of ICE. Other members of the ‘Squad,’ such as Rep. Ayanna Pressley, have also criticized the Trump administration and ICE for ‘terrorizing our communities’ to the point where students are too afraid to attend school.
The Department of Homeland Security has issued a statement condemning the ‘violence and dehumanization’ of ICE agents, calling for an end to the rhetoric that has led to the current crisis. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin noted that due to the heightened hostility, ICE agents and their families are being doxxed and targeted. She emphasized the need for political leaders and media to ‘turn the rhetoric down’ to prevent further violence. President Donald Trump, in a post on Truth Social, urged Democrats to ‘stop this rhetoric against ICE and America’s law enforcement, right now!’ This call for restraint has not gone unchallenged, as many Democrats argue that the focus should be on the policies and practices of immigration enforcement rather than the rhetoric surrounding it.
As tensions continue to mount, the debate over the role of political speech in shaping public perception of law enforcement remains a contentious issue. The shooting in Dallas has brought to light the potential consequences of polarizing rhetoric, with critics arguing that it may contribute to the violence against ICE agents. Meanwhile, Democrats have defended their criticism of ICE, insisting that the focus should be on the agency’s practices and the impact of its operations on immigrant communities.