Democratic Strategist Comments on ICE Protests

On Wednesday, Democratic strategist Jessica Tarloff appeared on Fox News’ “The Five” and acknowledged that the protesters in New York City who arrested ICE officers were out of line.

Following the detention of nine undocumented immigrants on Canal Street, a significant number of demonstrators voiced their opposition. Fox’s Greg Gutfeld characterized the scene as chaotic, describing it as “a haze of drug-fueled men yelling at each other.” Tarloff responded to this description during the discussion.

“I wouldn’t have spoken out against ICE today,” she stated. “It’s not just disruptive to the area in terms of navigation and the overall appearance of the city, but many of these individuals really are among the ‘bad guys,’ particularly those singled out by President Trump.”

As per a press release, ICE conducted this targeted operation at the request of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to address “criminal activity related to counterfeit goods.” During this operation, DHS described an incident where a “violent mob” assaulted and tried to “block vehicles and obstruct law enforcement.”

NewsNation’s Jessica Kartaglia reported live from the protests, documenting the arrest of a man purported to have instigated the unrest, who was seen confronting ICE and police officers.

Tarloff remarked that footage captured during the incident helps to “replace a narrative” that could be more effective in explaining ICE’s actions in other contexts.

She added, “You saw it, the NYPD had no involvement whatsoever in this specific raid, which gained considerable media attention.” Tarloff also pointed out that while the NYPD often conducts similar operations, they don’t always lead to deportations, which complicates the situation. “I have many reasons for disliking ICE, and I wouldn’t have joined that group,” she clarified.

Previously, Tarloff has defended protests against the Trump administration’s immigration policies, noting that there was some logic behind why anti-ICE protesters in Portland wore inflatable animal costumes. Additionally, she has criticized the administration’s deportation efforts involving certain undocumented immigrants.

DHS indicated that among the individuals arrested in this operation were those with a history of serious offenses, including burglary, domestic violence, and drug-related crimes.