Sen. Bernie Sanders said that the conduct of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents has shocked the nation, accusing the agency of extraordinary racism and violence during an appearance on CNN’s “The Source.”
Speaking with host Kaitlan Collins, Sanders argued that the actions attributed to ICE run counter to American values and have alarmed a broad swath of the public. “I surely hope so. I think the overwhelming majority of the American people are shocked by what they are seeing. This is the United States of America. You’ve seen guys in masks paid by federal tax laws knocking on doors, sending five year old kids into detention centers, shooting several people, occupying an entire city, intimidating city. In fact, it was a Republican candidate for governor in Minnesota who dropped out of the race. And he said, you know, I can’t defend what the Republican National Party is doing. You know, driving while Asian, driving while Latino is not unconstitutional. So the racism and the, violence is extraordinary. And I think the American people are saying enough is enough.”
Collins pressed Sanders on whether new accountability measures would ease concerns, asking, “Does it reassure you at all that they are sending body cameras to these federal agents?”
Sanders dismissed that step as insufficient and pointed to his own legislative efforts. “That’s small, you know, look, I in my own view and I brought forth an amendment as you may know, the other day, as part of that legislation —”
Collins interjected to clarify the proposal, saying, “You wanted to repeal the $75 billion.”
Sanders confirmed the goal and expanded on his criticism of the agency’s role and funding. “Exactly over a four year period. I mean, they are now not Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but they are a domestic Trump’s domestic army extraordinarily well funded. And I was pleased that every Democrat voted with me. And we had two Republicans got 49 votes to say, do away with that 75 billion over four year period. For I said put that money, by the way, into Medicaid.”