Democrat's 'inflammatory rhetoric' puts federal agents at risk

President Donald Trump and several Republicans criticized Democrats for their rhetoric against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following an attack on the agency’s Dallas headquarters.

"This violence is the result of the Radical Left Democrats constantly demonizing Law Enforcement, calling for ICE to be demolished, and comparing ICE Officers to 'Nazis'. The continuing violence from Radical Left Terrorists, in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, must be stopped." Trump posted on Truth Social.

In addition, Trump administration officials, including Vice President JD Vance, said that attacks on law enforcement must stop. Vance added that Democrats, in his view, should reflect on these events.

"I think in particular, my Democratic colleagues need to ask some very hard questions about why it is that folks from their side of the political aisle seem to be engaged in these politically motivated attacks (...) But I think it’s important for them to look in the mirror and say, ‘Wait a minute. Can we look in the mirror? Can we actually take some steps to police some of the violent rhetoric on our own side?'" Vance said in an interview with News Nation reported by The Hill.

Attacks, both physical and verbal, against ICE are not isolated incidents. In the months leading up to the Dallas shooting, Democratic politicians repeatedly made strong statements criticizing the agency’s agents.

For example, in August, California Gov. Gavin Newsom claimed that President Trump might use ICE agents in next year’s midterm elections to “slow down” voter turnout.

Gavin Newsom’s wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, criticized the work of ICE agents and argued that the agency with its policies "chases, surveils and persecutes families, like chasing farmworkers through the fields."

In addition, Rep. Jasmine Crockett implied that ICE agents are akin to "slave patrols." She made the claim during an interview with MSNBC's Ali Velshi, as reported by Breitbart.

"I never lived through the slave patrol period. But if you know the history of policing in this country, then you understand that they were born out of slave patrols," Crockett said.

"This is not Germany"

Similar comments have come from other Democratic figures, such as Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, who in June compared the agency to a neo-Nazi organization called NSC-131. Wu’s statements were circulated by the Republican Party.

"I don’t know of any police department that routinely wears masks. We know that there are other groups that routinely wear masks," Wu said. "NSC-131 routinely wears masks."

In other statements, Wu has also claimed that, in his opinion, ICE is Trump's "secret police."

Wu's comments coincide with remarks from Kamala Harris' former running mate, Tim Walz. In May, the Minnesota governor told graduates at the state university’s law school that ICE agents are acting like the secret police of Nazi Germany.

"Donald Trump’s modern-day Gestapo is scooping folks up off the streets. They’re in unmarked vans, wearing masks, being shipped off to foreign torture dungeons (...) No chance to mount a defense, not even a chance to kiss a loved one goodbye, just grabbed up by masked agents, shoved into those vans, and disappeared," Walz said.

"This is not Germany. That’s the SS and the Gestapo". So said Democratic Rep. John Larson. In his message, Larson called on Americans to "stand up." "This is the United States of America. Unmask yourselves," he added.

In August, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson called on people to explore all avenues to “resist” if President Trump orders the federal deployment of the National Guard to the city.

"Mayor Johnson’s executive order directs the City to pursue all available legal and legislative avenues to resist coordinated efforts by the federal government that violate the sovereignty of the City and the rights of its residents," said a statement released by Johnson's office.

"We are witnessing a open season on our law enforcement officers"

"We are seeing open season against our law enforcement," McLaughlin explained.

The government’s border czar, Tom Homan, also warned that inflammatory political speeches are fueling increased violence against officers. Homan’s remarks came in the wake of the shooting of police officers at the ICE detention center in Texas.

"These extremists who want to take things beyond protests and into criminal activity are being fueled by rhetoric from some members of Congress," Homan said.