Amid an unprecedented backlash against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, California Gov. Gavin Newsom — considered a major contender for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination — was accused of giving the increasingly violent agency a pass after an interview with right-wing pundit Ben Shapiro in which he tempered his criticism of ICE.
In the last days, after Immigration and customs (ICE) shooting of 37-year-old Renee Judd, mother of three, last week in Minneapolis, and it has been documented that ICE officers and other federal agencies were blatantly involved. racial profiling, unconstitutional “Nationality check” And extreme uses of Physical strengthincluding withdrawing a helpless An American citizen left her car on her way to a doctor’s appointment news agency reported Friday.
It’s part of a pattern of behavior by ICE Newsom’s press office described He described it as “state-sponsored terrorism” on January 7, when he used the term to describe Judd’s killing by agent Jonathan Ross, who was recorded shooting Judd in the head after she got in front of her car and Referring to her As a “fucking bitch.” Agents too Obstruction Emergency medical services were prevented from reaching the scene of the shooting to provide assistance, according to videos and eyewitness accounts.
But when asked by the evil debater Shapiro on his podcast, This is Gavin Newsom On Thursday, the governor walked back that strong characterization of the agency.
“Your press office tweeted that it was state-sponsored terrorism, and I mean, Governor, I have to ask you about that. This kind of thing makes our politics worse, and it does,” Shapiro said. “Yes,” Newsom replied.
“It is clear that our ICE officers are not terrorists. The tragic situation is not state-sponsored terrorism,” Shapiro continued.
“Yes, I think that’s fair,” Newsom agreed.
A short clip of that exchange, shared in celebration by Shapiro’s outlet, the Daily Wirewas met with widespread criticism on social media from those who wanted to see one of the Democratic Party’s most prominent leaders take an unapologetic stance against ICE.
Mehdi Hassan, founder of the news outlet Zitio, He doubted Why “Newsom is trying to ruin his very strong chance of winning the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination by doing this self-destructive podcast where he lets right-wing guests walk all over him and then promotes online clips of them walking all over him.”
But that clip showed just one of several instances during the nearly two-hour interview in which Newsom moved into his pro-ICE frame as his guest.
When Shapiro questioned Newsom about California’s supposed “sanctuary state” policy and suggested that the state cooperate with ICE in the vast majority of cases, Newsom responded: “That’s exactly what they do in California.”
Newsom then bragged that there had been “over 10,000” deportations he had cooperated with since he became governor of California. Although he emphasized that the sanctuary law only allows the state’s correctional facilities to cooperate with ICE, Preachers She criticized it for allowing the deportation of those who were never convicted and those whose cases were dropped.
“California has handled more ICE transfers, probably, than any other state in the country,” he continued. “I have vetoed several pieces of legislation that came out of my legislature to stop the state of California from being able to do this.”
Newsom has already vetoed at least two pieces of Democratic legislation that sought to restrict the state’s cooperation with ICE — one in 2023, which It will be It eliminated requirements that allow prisons to transfer noncitizens into ICE custody after they leave prison, and another in 2019, which would have Forbidden Private security companies are unable to enter California prisons to transport people to ICE custody.
Shapiro later asked Newsom if he agreed with him Calls From some Democrats to “abolish” ICE in wake of shootings, Included Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), another potential contender for the 2028 nomination.
“I disagree with that,” Newsom said, adding: “I think a presidential candidate named Harris said that in the last campaign. I remember being in [All In with Chris Hayes] Hours later, he said: I think this is a mistake.
Although she has criticized the agency and suggested changing its implementation priorities, it is incorrect Former Vice President Kamala Harris has called for “abolishing ICE,” even saying in 2018 that “ICE has a purpose. ICE has a role, and ICE needs to be there.”
She did not call for abolishing ICE during the 2024 presidential campaign as Newsom suggested, and she was. criticize By immigrant rights activists for their shift to the right regarding immigration compared to previous years.
By rejecting calls to abolish ICE, critics noted that Newsom was expressing a position out of touch with the Democratic base and with a broad swath of the country, which has become increasingly hostile toward ICE over the past year, especially in the wake of its actions in Minnesota, which led many to see it as President Donald Trump’s personal paramilitary force rather than a legitimate law enforcement agency.
A poll conducted earlier this week by Economist/YouGov open For the first time ever, “Abolish ICE” received more support (46%) than opposition (43%) among American adults. Among those who said they leaned Democratic, 80% favored abolishing the agency, compared to just 11% who opposed it.
“This is an incredibly stupid move by Gavin Newsom.” books Left-wing talk show host One hand policyWhich Mason calls in response to the governor’s refusal to call for abolishing ICE.
He implored Newsom to “grow a backbone and stop going after Republican moderates who don’t exist. They all hate you.”
Brian Tashman, policy and strategist at the American Civil Liberties Union, male Newsom “is not willing to respond to Ben Shapiro but will resist labor organizers trying to pass a law.” Billionaire tax “This would affect a few hundred people.”
Left-wing commentator Joe Mayall saw the interaction as a window into how Newsom would perform in a potential 2028 presidential debate against Vice President J.D. Vance, who is widely viewed as the Republican who will succeed Trump.
he books: “If Ben Shapiro cheats on you, you don’t have a chance against Vance.”
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