Newsom steps back from comments on ICE terrorism following Shapiro’s challenge

California’s Governor Gavin Newsom is keeping his remarks about federal immigration officials rather cautious after some media outlets described a recent shooting involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as “state-sponsored terrorism.” This shooting claimed the life of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis earlier this month.

Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro believes this shift in Newsom’s tone is a strategic move rather than a genuine policy change. He suggests that the governor is attempting to smooth his image with an eye on a potential presidential run in 2028. During an episode of Newsom’s podcast “This Is Gavin Newsom,” Shapiro confronted the governor directly about the inflammatory headline.

Shapiro questioned, “Your news organization tweeted that this is ‘state-sponsored terrorism.’ So, Mr. Governor, you have to ask about that. Things like that make our politics worse.” He emphasized that characterizing ICE officers as terrorists is misguided, reinforcing that such violent incidents shouldn’t be labeled as state-sponsored terrorism.

Newsom, while agreeing that Shapiro’s comments were reasonable, distanced himself from the media’s description. He has yet to formally declare his intentions regarding a presidential campaign, but is widely regarded as a strong prospective nominee for the Democratic party. Shapiro highlighted that Newsom faces the challenge of appealing to both radical activists and centrist voters in the party.

Shapiro remarked, “One of the problems the governor has to solve is that the Democratic base is very radical.” During the podcast, Newsom clarified his stance against calls to abolish ICE, expressing his disagreement with the suggestion, which has been supported by some prominent Democrats, including Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who is also rumored to be considering a presidential bid.

Shapiro pointed out that if Newsom wants to make a successful run for the presidency, he must manage his messaging carefully. He also remarked on the likelihood that Democrats will eventually move away from advocating for ICE’s abolition, likening it to past campaigns for police defunding that didn’t pan out successfully.

The recent shooting has reignited discussions surrounding federal immigration enforcement, with ICE drawing considerable scrutiny as activists have used Good’s death to justify ongoing unrest and battles with law enforcement in Minneapolis.