A top Trump administration official is blasting Democratic leaders after violent clashes erupted between immigration officers and protesters in California. Border czar Tom Homan warned Friday that extreme rhetoric from the left is fueling confrontations, and that it could lead to a loss of life.
"People are welcome to protest," Homan said during an appearance on "Fox & Friends."
"They can't impede us from doing our job. That's a felony. They certainly can't put hands on an agent. That's a felony."
On Thursday, protesters confronted federal agents during raids on two marijuana farms allegedly employing illegal migrants in California. Officers resorted to deploying tear gas and smoke devices after tensions with demonstrators escalated.
IMMIGRATION OPERATION AT CALIFORNIA CANNABIS FARMS LEADS TO CLASH BETWEEN FEDERAL AGENTS AND PROTESTERS
The FBI is now offering a substantial reward for information about a protester accused of firing a pistol at law enforcement during the clash.
"What happened in California is just another example of protesters becoming criminals," Homan said. "They've been emboldened by even members of Congress who compare ICE to Nazis, racists, and terrorists."
California leaders have repeatedly pushed back against the Trump administration's immigration agenda. Gov. Gavin Newsom has been one of the most vocal critics, even daring Homan to "arrest" him after the border czar warned both Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass not to interfere with immigration enforcement.
Newsom wrote in part on X: "California prosecutes child exploiters and traffickers. Trump tear-gasses children, rips them from their parents, and deports farmworkers. Priorities."
BORDER CZAR TOM HOMAN SAYS MEDIA IGNORING OF FACTS ABOUT ICE RAIDS FUELED LA RIOTS
His post was in response to Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott announcing that 10 juveniles were found at the marijuana facility raided. All had entered the country illegally, and at least eight were unaccompanied.
Scott also said the facility would now be under investigation for violating child labor laws.
Homan accused politicians like Newsom of distorting the work of ICE and ignoring certain aspects of the organization's mission.
"Ninety percent of the stories are just fake. They're lies," Homan said. "They're lying about what President Trump is doing. They're lying about what the men and women of ICE are doing."
TRUMP BORDER CZAR RESPONDS TO NEWSOM'S 'ARREST ME' CHALLENGE AS CALIFORNIA RIOTS OVER ICE RAIDS
He also argued that some aspects of ICE's work, like locating thousands of missing or trafficked minors, shouldn't be seen as political.
"Rescuing children, I mean, it should be a nonpartisan issue," Homan said, claiming ICE has helped locate thousands of migrant children. "Everybody should be in lockstep on that. But they're not."
As tensions over immigration enforcement continue to surge, Homan urged critics to direct their frustration towards lawmakers, not law enforcement.
"The rhetoric has to end," he said. "ICE agents are simply enforcing laws that members of Congress enacted."
"If people want to complain about the job ICE is doing, then go complain to Congress, because we're enforcing laws they enacted."
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