NAACP Draws Controversy by Comparing ICE to KKK
The NAACP stirred up quite a conversation on Thursday after posting a split image on social media, juxtaposing masked ICE agents with hooded Ku Klux Klan (KKK) members. This comparison essentially equated the agency with a white supremacist terrorist group.
Accompanying the striking image, the NAACP wrote, “Different masks, same agenda,” highlighting themes of fear, terrorism, division, illegal arrests, lack of due process, and even murder. The statement emphasized a sense of unity, asserting, “There is no fear. There is no failure. There is no division.” Almost 70,000 people reacted to the post on Facebook, which garnered around 10,000 comments and 30,000 shares.
The KKK was established in 1865 in Pulaski, Tennessee, following the South’s defeat in the Civil War, primarily targeting black freedmen and their allies. According to the National Park Service, KKK members historically used intimidation and violence to reinforce white supremacy, operating with minimal risk of prosecution.
Attempts by Congress to prosecute Klansmen occurred in the 1870s, but the KKK reawakened in 1915 near Atlanta, shifting its focus to anti-immigrant sentiments, anti-Catholic views, Prohibition issues, and anti-Semitism. Researchers today estimate that around 150 Klan chapters remain active across the U.S., with membership figures ranging between 5,000 and 8,000.
The NAACP’s post surfaced amid protests over the shooting of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three who was killed by an ICE agent after an alleged attempt to run down an officer during an immigration check.
Department of Homeland Security officials characterized the shooting as an act of self-defense, noting Good’s involvement with ICE Watch, an activist group focused on monitoring and opposing federal immigration actions. Such networks have previously been linked to conflicts with law enforcement, particularly where vehicles were used to hinder officers.
Footage from the incident shows an ICE agent approaching Good’s vehicle before it accelerated toward him. Democrats labeled the shooting a murder, arguing that Good had not intended to strike the officer. In a recent social media post, White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt pointed to media narratives as contributing to public distrust, stating, “Trust in the media is at an all-time low because the media intentionally lies to advance the Democratic cause.” She defended the actions of the ICE agent, suggesting they were necessary in the context of ongoing protests against federal enforcement efforts.
The NAACP, ICE, and DHS have not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the incident or the social media post.
