Representative Confronted Over ICE Comments After Shooting Incident

On Tuesday, Democratic Oregon Representative Maxine Dexter faced questions regarding her comments about the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following the fatal shooting of two members of the Venezuelan criminal group Tren de Aragua (TdA) by U.S. Border Patrol agents.

In a statement made on January 8, Dexter accused ICE of fostering “terrorism, chaos, and brutality” in the U.S., despite the fact that the Border Patrol, not ICE, was involved in the incident. When asked by Fox News Congressional Correspondent Bill Melugin why she hadn’t waited for all the facts to emerge before making her statement, Dexter seemed hesitant.

“Why didn’t you wait for some facts to emerge regarding the Portland Border Patrol shooting before issuing a statement?” Melugin pressed.

Dexter replied, “I… no, I made a statement. I didn’t say anything about whether those people were legitimately…” Melugin then quoted her statement, prompting him to ask whether due process was followed. Dexter responded, “The answer is no. They were shot before they were shot.”

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) indicated that Border Patrol agents were attacked by gang members and prostitutes in Portland, leading to the shooting incident. The individuals involved, Luis David Nico Moncada and Yorlenis Bezavez Zambrano-Contreras, were released into the U.S. by the previous Biden administration in 2022 and 2023.

While confronting Dexter, Melugin noted that both individuals were confirmed as members of TdA by local law enforcement.

“Those were two Venezuelan gang members, both with local police and the Department of Homeland Security—” he began.

“It seems so,” Dexter interjected.

“The local police in Portland say it was,” he replied. Melugin further pointed out that immigrant communities are feeling “fearful,” emphasizing the need for those in power to support them.

There’s been a rise in anti-ICE sentiment in the U.S., especially after an officer shot and killed Renee Good in Minneapolis as she attempted to accelerate her car toward him. Video evidence showed Good not complying with commands from the ICE officers, which led to a heated debate over whether the shooting was justified. President Trump’s administration stated that the officer acted in self-defense, while Democratic lawmakers, including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, condemned the shooting and called for ICE’s removal from the city.

Notably, Dexter was among four House Democrats who traveled to El Salvador in April 2025, staying at a luxury hotel in support of notorious gang member Kilmer Abrego Garcia.