Swalwell Calls for Dismantling ICE
California Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell expressed a strong stance against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), suggesting that the agency’s agents should be made “unemployable” to combat deportation efforts.
His remarks came in the wake of a CNN interview, and he shared them widely on social media. He stated, “If you are going to work for the fascists, forget about working in this state. … So we are not weak; we must continue to attack.”
Swalwell voiced discontent with ICE’s current operations, indicating that the agency has not focused on the most dangerous individuals but rather on cases that have raised concerns. He pointed to the deportation of a child with a parent facing severe health issues, saying, “You shot a mother three times in the face with no weapon, no knife, but a glove compartment and Cheerios, and you claim you were justified? Forget it! Nobody asked for that, and ICE as it exists today needs to be completely dismantled.”
While referencing the shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis, he omitted details suggesting she had used her vehicle as a weapon. Another case involved the deportation of two parents of a child with kidney cancer, which the government disputed, denying the claim of inadequate options for the boy’s family.
Swalwell further threatened to make employment in ICE untenable if he were to become governor, declaring, “If you are going to work for fascists, forget about working in this state.” He urged other governors to adopt similar protective measures for vulnerable communities.
CNN anchor Casey Hunt challenged Swalwell’s assertions, asking, “Do you think all the ICE agents on the street are fascists?” In his response, Swalwell maintained that working for ICE is a choice, asserting, “No one is forcing it.”
His announcement of a bid for California’s governorship has faced mockery from Republicans, and recent polls indicate that he has only a 24% favorable rating among Californians, with a significant number still unfamiliar with him.
