Tensions rise as ICE Director Todd Lyons demands an apology from Rep. Pramila Jayapal for her incendiary remarks calling ICE agents a “terrorist force,” amid skyrocketing assaults against officers.
At a Glance
● Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons is demanding an apology from Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) for calling his agency a “terrorist force.”
● Jayapal’s comments come as assaults on ICE officers have skyrocketed by nearly 500% since President Trump took office.
● The “Squad” member has refused to apologize, instead claiming the administration owes an apology for its immigration enforcement.
● Critics accuse Jayapal of dangerous rhetoric that demonizes law enforcement and endangers the lives of federal agents.
A “Squad” Member Calls ICE a “Terrorist Force”
In a stunning attack on federal law enforcement, progressive “Squad” member Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) has labeled U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) a “terrorist force.” In a recent interview, she also accused the agency of kidnapping and disappearing people from American streets.
“ICE is acting like a terrorist force,” Jayapal claimed. “They don’t have any identification. They’re wearing masks. They’re in plain clothes. They are coming and kidnapping and disappearing people.”
ICE Director Demands an Apology
Her inflammatory comments have sparked outrage and a direct rebuke from the head of the agency. Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons is demanding an apology from the congresswoman, arguing that her dangerous rhetoric puts his officers’ lives at risk.”Now, she labels ICE officers enforcing immigration law set by Congress ‘terrorists,'” Lyons said in a statement. He described her remarks as part of a problematic pattern of demonizing law
enforcement officials who are simply doing their jobs.
A Nearly 500% Surge in Assaults on Officers
The war of words comes amid a dangerous spike in violence against federal immigration officers. According to Lyons, unprovoked assaults on ICE agents have increased by nearly 500% since President Trump took office and began cracking down on illegal immigration.
In a statement reported by Fox News, Lyons slammed Jayapal and CNN’s recent promotion of an “ICE-spotting” app, saying it “paints a target on federal law enforcement officers’ backs.”
Despite the backlash and the rising threat to his officers, Jayapal has refused to retract her comments or apologize. She has insisted that it is the administration that owes an apology to the American people for its robust enforcement of the nation’s immigration laws.
