“One of the things I learned is that the guys behind me are doing an incredible job, and frankly, a lot of the media is lying about the jobs they do every single day.”
Vice President JD Vance visited Minneapolis on Thursday to express strong support for federal agents involved with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations amid ongoing unrest sparked by a large-scale immigration crackdown. Standing alongside federal officers during a press conference, Vance accused mainstream media outlets of spreading lies about the agents' work and condemned assaults on them by "leftist agatitators" describing the ongoing attacks as "totally unacceptable."
"One of the things I learned is that the guys behind me are doing an incredible job, and frankly, a lot of the media is lying about the jobs they do every single day," Vance told reporters. He highlighted the challenges federal officers face in the field, noting they are "under an incredible amount of duress, an incredible amount of chaos" due to harassment, doxxing, and assaults from "far-left agitators." Vance emphasized that such behavior prevents agents from performing their duties effectively and is "totally unacceptable."
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The vice president's remarks come amid political unrest stemming from the recent ICE-involved shooting of leftist agitator Renee Good, who was fatally shot by ICE agent Jonathan Ross in an apparent act of self-defense after she struck Ross with her vehicle in a ramming attack. The incident fueled protests and riots, with demonstrators clashing with federal agents and following them throughout Minneapolis to interfere with operations. Vance criticized the media for fanning the flames of the riots with false information surrounding ICE operations and federal agents, who have been working diligently to apprehend criminal illegal aliens in the community.
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Vance also addressed the role of local and state officials, praising some police agencies for their on-the-ground support to quell the riots but criticising higher-level authorities for pushing back against federal efforts. "ICE and Border Patrol told me that cops on the ground have been helpful and supportive. It's the local officials who have been pushing back," said Vance. He attributed much of the "chaos" in Minneapolis to a lack of cooperation from these officials.
On the potential invocation of the Insurrection Act to quell the unrest, Vance stated that it is not necessary at this time but warned that the situation could change if assaults on federal officers persist. "We don't think we need that," he said, referring to the act, which allows the president to deploy military forces in cases of rebellion or unrest. "The president could change his mind, of course, if things get worse," Vance added.
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The visit included a closed-door roundtable with federal agents, business leaders, and community members, aimed at "turning down the temperature" in the city, according to the Post Bulletin. Vance defended the surge in ICE activity, and the White House said the vice president's visit was to show "unwavering support" for ICE, pointing to Minneapolis's sanctuary city policies as degrading public safety.
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