House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) warned on Tuesday that he is closely monitoring protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement to determine if congressional scrutiny could be warranted in the future.
Johnson weighed in on anti-ICE demonstrations during a press conference on Capitol Hill, in which he noted some protests have turned violent. Noting the constitutional right to free speech, the speaker agreed that protesters enjoy broad liberties to express opposition to ICE. But he added that violence against law enforcement crosses a boundary.
Johnson said tensions had not yet increased to the level that could trigger investigations from a relevant congressional committee in the House. However, he is “closely” watching the situation to see if that could change, because “you’re supposed to be on the side of the good, not the crazy radicals.”
“What I’ve seen is the abuse of law enforcement by radical leftist activists,” Johnson said, noting naked bicyclers in Portland protesting ICE this week and the federal government’s arrest of several people accused of physically assaulting officers.
“It’s getting really ugly. … This is serious business,” the speaker told reporters. “Look, I was a First Amendment lawyer. I understand, as a religious liberty defense lawyer, I understand free speech. We vigorously protect the right to free speech, but you cannot assault law enforcement officers. And there is a line that has to be maintained.”
“I’ve not seen them cross the line yet, and we have committees that [hold] jurisdiction who have that responsibility, but it’s not risen to that level,” Johnson continued. “But we’re watching that closely. And we, the Republican Party, stand for law enforcement. That’s where we’re going to be.”
Protests at or near ICE facilities around the country have, in some cases, spanned months. In areas such as Portland, Los Angeles, and Chicago, demonstrations have at times turned violent as rage rises against the Trump administration’s deportation agenda, and Washington’s move to send in military troops to protect ICE as they carry out that agenda.
Fifteen arrests were made in a Chicago suburb over the weekend amid the unrest, according to Broadview, Illinois, Mayor Katrina Thompson.
“[T]oo many protesters are raising their fists rather than their voices, creating chaos at the expense of the people who call Broadview home,” Thompson said.
Critics argue ICE has employed tactics that resemble those used by authoritarian regimes, including excessive use of force, targeting members of the press, and hiding their identities.
Republicans have argued ICE has been forced to adapt due to concerns that law enforcement is operating in unprecedentedly dangerous and hostile conditions. Federal and local law enforcement are being attacked simply for doing their jobs, leading to a general breakdown in public safety and trust in stabilizing institutions, according to the GOP.
BOUNTIES TO ASSASSINATE ICE IN CHICAGO CAME FROM MEXICO, DHS REVEALS
President Donald Trump led Republicans in denouncing critics for escalating tensions after a shooting at a Texas ICE facility last month. Two people died as a result of the incident.
“The Brave Men and Women of ICE are just trying to do their jobs, and remove the ‘WORST of the WORST’ Criminals out of our Country, but they are facing an unprecedented increase in threats, violence, and attacks by Deranged Radical Leftists,” he wrote in a Truth Social post.