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Democratic strategist Julian Epstein criticized members of his own party Thursday, saying their rhetoric toward Immigration and Customs Enforcement may have helped create an environment that encouraged violence against the agency.
Epstein made the remarks on the television program “2WAY TONIGHT” following a fatal confrontation Wednesday in Minneapolis in which an ICE agent shot and killed 37-year-old Renée Nicole Good during a federal immigration enforcement operation. Authorities said Good accelerated her vehicle toward agents who were surrounding the car. Good was later identified as a Minneapolis resident and mother of three.
On the program, Epstein said inflammatory language from Democratic politicians about ICE — including terms like “Gestapo” and describing the agency as an “occupying force” — had created a “permission structure” for violent confrontations.
“They have not only failed to condemn violence in a meaningful way on an ongoing basis, using the language of Gestapo and they’re an occupying force and all this other incendiary language is giving a permission structure to, I think, a lot of the people on the professional left that are being, in my opinion, funded and is giving a permission structure for these violent confrontations, which tragically ended yesterday in a death,” Epstein said.
“Democratic officials have totally failed to understand the distinction between free speech protest on the one hand and active obstruction and attacks of law enforcement on the other hand,” he added. “And I think that is the environment in which we saw this tragedy occur yesterday. So again, I think reasonable people can disagree about what happened yesterday, but I think the environment that is being created, at least some of the responsibility has got to be laid on my side, the Democratic side.”
Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey of Minneapolis demanded that ICE “get the f*ck out of Minneapolis” during a Wednesday news conference following the shooting.
Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz compared Immigration and Customs Enforcement to the “modern-day Gestapo” during a May commencement address at the University of Minnesota Law School, remarks that later drew criticism from Republicans and some law enforcement advocates. Walz made the comments while condemning federal immigration enforcement practices and calling for changes to U.S. immigration policy.
In June, Boston Democratic Mayor Michelle Wu also drew scrutiny after likening masked ICE agents to a New England neo-Nazi group during a news conference. Wu said her comments were aimed at criticizing the use of face coverings during immigration enforcement operations, which she argued created fear within immigrant communities.
The remarks by both officials have been cited by Republicans and other critics as examples of rhetoric they say inflames tensions surrounding immigration enforcement and federal law enforcement officers. Supporters of the officials have defended the comments as political speech intended to protest ICE tactics rather than encourage hostility toward agents.
There were 99 vehicle attacks against federal law enforcement officers between Jan. 20 and Nov. 18, representing roughly double the number recorded during the same period in 2024, according to data released by the Department of Homeland Security. The department said the incidents involved suspects using vehicles to strike, ram, or attempt to flee through law enforcement personnel during enforcement operations.
Federal officials have cited the increase as a growing safety concern for officers, particularly those involved in immigration and border enforcement. DHS has warned that vehicle assaults have become a more common tactic during confrontations with federal agents, prompting agencies to review operational procedures and officer protection measures.
During a news conference on Wednesday, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem stated that the ICE agent who shot a woman had previously been the victim of a vehicle attack in June, when an anti-ICE protester rammed him with a car and dragged him.
She also revealed that organized groups were instructing individuals to use vehicles as weapons during law enforcement operations.
