Vice President J.D. Vance’s Remarks on ICE and Media

In a speech delivered Thursday in Minneapolis, Vice President J.D. Vance claimed that much of the media misrepresents the efforts of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Addressing a gathering of ICE officers, he commended their work, suggesting that the media often distorts the reality of their daily responsibilities.

“What I’ve come to understand is that the agents behind me are performing admirably,” Vance stated. “Unfortunately, a lot of the media is not accurately portraying their work.” He continued by noting that while some reports may highlight mistakes, they often lack context. “These individuals face immense pressure and turmoil, and because of certain extreme activists, many struggle to perform their duties without facing harassment or even violence,” he added, calling such behavior unacceptable.

Vance expressed support for protests against his administration’s immigration policies, but emphasized the need for peaceful demonstrations. “It’s fine to protest, but if you assault law enforcement personnel, know that the administration and the Department of Justice will take severe action against you,” he said.

He also recounted a troubling incident involving two off-duty ICE officers who were approached by an instigator while dining out. “Recently, I heard about a situation where some ICE agents were off-duty in a restaurant and, while they were there, a group of activists showed up, locked the doors, and made them feel threatened. It was federal law enforcement that ultimately had to step in to de-escalate the situation and ensure those officers got to safety,” Vance shared.

According to him, this anti-ICE sentiment is fueled by certain far-left individuals and even some elected officials at the state and local levels.

Vance’s comments in Minneapolis followed an earlier visit to Toledo, Ohio, on the same day.