Border czar Tom Homan slammed Rep. Jerry Nadler (D) on Saturday over a comment the New York congressman made about assaults on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
“What attacks on ICE agents?” Nadler asked in a clip that aired on Fox News.
“This buffoon knows exactly what attacks — his party is the one encouraging them,” Homan responded on X. “ICE agents are facing an 830% increase in assaults because of smears from the left. Their words have consequences. We won’t let them pretend they don’t.”
ICE enforcement actions have been met by protesters in several high-profile incidents, most recently in Camarillo, Calif., where 200 people without legal status in the U.S. were arrested in a raid at a marijuana farm. Agents used tear gas to disperse protesters, and one person died after falling from a roof during the raid.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials have also targeted Democratic lawmakers on the basis of claims they have attacked immigration officers.
Rep. LaMonica Iver (D-N.J.), for example, pleaded not guilty to an assault charge stemming from an incident where her elbows appeared to come into contact with an officer during a crowded scene.
In his response to Nadler, Homan cited a DHS statistic released last week, claiming assaults against ICE agents are at an 830 percent increase, more than double the 413 percent increase it claimed in May. The agency claims that Democratic officials and media reports have encouraged assaults against agents.
The Hill has contacted Nadler and DHS for comment.
