Author name: Stephen Phelps

Charlie Kirk Warned Wokeism and Islamism Are Targeting Western Civilization
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Charlie Kirk Warned Wokeism and Islamism Are Targeting Western Civilization

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A resurfaced statement from conservative activist Charlie Kirk is drawing renewed attention after he warned that Western civilization faces what he described as an approaching spiritual conflict targeting the “American way of life.”

In the remarks, Kirk said the threat comes from what he characterized as a combination of ideological forces, including wokeism, Marxism, and Islamism, which he argued are converging to undermine long-standing cultural and religious foundations in the United States and the broader West.

“The spiritual battle is coming to the west, and the enemies are wokeism, or Marxism, combining with Islamism to go after what we call the American way of life,” Kirk said.

Kirk defined the “American way of life” in personal and cultural terms, describing everyday freedoms and family life as central to what he believes is under threat.

He said those freedoms include the ability to marry, own a home, raise children, and live in safe communities without ideological pressure in schools or public life.

“And the American way of life is very simple. I want to be able to get married, buy a home, have kids, allow them to ride their bike till the sun goes down, send them to a good school have a low crime neighborhood not to have my kid be taught the lesbian, gay, transgender garbage in their school, while also, while also not having them have to hear the Muslim call to prayer five times a day,” Kirk said.

Kirk said those concerns are not merely political, but spiritual and civilizational.

He tied what he called the American way of life directly to Christianity and Western history, arguing that modern freedoms are rooted in Christian belief and sacrifice.

“That’s important. We want the American way of life, which is, by the way, Christendom,” Kirk said.

“Christians, our sacrifice, our toil, our vision, the outgrowth of the scriptures gave us Western civilization.”

In the statement, Kirk called on Christians across racial and ethnic backgrounds to recognize what he described as a shared threat and to unite in response.

He said faith, rather than identity or background, is the defining factor in what he sees as the coming struggle.

“And this is where, I think is a great rallying cry, doesn’t matter if you’re Hispanic, doesn’t matter if you’re Asian, doesn’t matter if you’re black or white, everybody if you are Christian and Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior, these two threats are combining forces to come after us,” Kirk said.

Kirk concluded by urging the Christian church to respond collectively, framing the issue as one that requires action and unity among believers.

“And it’s time that the church stands and rises up against it,” he said.

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‘Democrats PAID Black Lives Matter’ to Hit the Street if Trump Won: Mike Benz
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‘Democrats PAID Black Lives Matter’ to Hit the Street if Trump Won: Mike Benz

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Mike Benz stated that the Democratic Party anticipated Black Lives Matter mobilization if Joe Biden called for protests, particularly in the event President Donald Trump won the 2020 election.

Benz said Democrats assumed Black Lives Matter would respond to such a call but believed further testing was needed to assess how reliably the group could be mobilized during an election crisis.

Benz said the party viewed large-scale demonstrations as increasing the stakes and believed it was necessary to strengthen ties with Black Lives Matter in order to ensure responsiveness.

He described what he characterized as a deliberate effort by Democrats to secure loyalty through financial and political concessions.

“And they just assumed that black lives matter would mobilize in the event of a Biden call to take to the streets. But they said, well, we’ll need to do more testing. We just assumed they would in this war game. We should robustly test their likely receptivity so they can be mobilized at election time in case Trump clearly wins the election, the scale of recent demonstrations has increased the stakes for the Democrat party to build strong ties with Black Lives Matter and be responsive to the movement’s demands,” Benz said.

According to Benz, Democrats discussed providing substantial financial support to Black Lives Matter in order to secure that loyalty.

He specifically referenced a figure of $50 billion and linked the funding to business and labor organizations.

“Give black lives matter what they want. Give them $50 billion in Chamber of Commerce money,” Benz said.

Benz further claimed that a private agreement between the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the AFL-CIO played a role in managing protest activity during that period.

He said the agreement was referenced in a Time magazine article by Molly Ball and was connected to decisions surrounding protest activity.

“If you remember, Chamber of Commerce signed the secret deal with the AFL CIO.

That was the crux of the Molly Ball Time magazine article to have the protesters stand down when it was announced by one so,” Benz said.

Benz stated that from June 2020 through November 2020, Democratic leaders discussed plans at senior levels to provide favors to Black Lives Matter with the expectation that those actions would later result in political cooperation.

He said the goal was to ensure that the organization would respond to calls for mass protests if Trump prevailed in the election.

“Between June 2020 and November 2020, the Democrat Party openly planned the highest levels to do favors for black lives matter, so that black lives matter would owe them favors and be responsive to a Biden call to take to the streets, to street protest Trump out of office if he won 52-47 in a landslide Electoral College victory,” Benz said.

Benz characterized these discussions as a strategic effort to prepare for election outcomes Democrats viewed as unfavorable.

He said the planning was tied directly to concerns about a clear Trump victory and the role that organized street protests could play in challenging the result.

Terror Attack in Syria Claims Lives of Two U.S. Soldiers, Trump Vows ‘Serious Retaliation’
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Terror Attack in Syria Claims Lives of Two U.S. Soldiers, Trump Vows ‘Serious Retaliation’

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Two U.S. Army soldiers and an American civilian interpreter were killed Saturday during an attack in Syria, according to the Department of War.

Three additional personnel were wounded in the incident, which occurred while U.S. forces were conducting operations in the region.

Sean Parnell, chief spokesman for the Pentagon, confirmed the deaths in a statement posted to X.

Parnell said the attack took place as the U.S. soldiers were carrying out a “key leader engagement,” a term used to describe meetings conducted as part of military operations.

“The soldiers’ mission was in support of on-going counter-ISIS/counter-terrorism operations in the region,” Parnell wrote.

He added that the attack occurred in an area of Syria that is not under the control of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, according to reporting by Fox News citing a Pentagon official.

Parnell said identifying information for the fallen service members has not yet been released.

“The soldiers’ names, as well as identifying information about their units, are being withheld until 24 hours after the next of kin notification,” he stated.

“This attack is currently under active investigation.”

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth also addressed the attack in a statement posted Saturday on X.

Hegseth said the individual responsible for carrying out the attack was killed shortly afterward.

“The ‘savage’ who perpetrated the attack was ‘killed by partner forces,’” Hegseth wrote.

He added a warning directed at those who may target Americans abroad.

“Let it be known, if you target Americans — anywhere in the world — you will spend the rest of your brief, anxious life knowing the U.S. will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you,” Hegseth said.

According to The New York Times, U.S. and Syrian forces came under attack during a joint patrol near the city of Palmyra.

The report cited Syria’s state-run news agency, SANA. U.S. Central Command also confirmed the deaths in a separate statement posted to X on Saturday, noting that further updates would be released as additional information becomes available.

The deaths prompted a response from President Trump, who addressed the incident in a post on Truth Social.

“We mourn the loss of three Great American Patriots in Syria, two soldiers, and one Civilian Interpreter,” President Trump wrote.

“Likewise, we pray for the three injured soldiers who, it has just been confirmed, are doing well.”

President Trump said the attack was carried out by ISIS and took place in a particularly dangerous region of the country.

“This was an ISIS attack against the U.S., and Syria, in a very dangerous part of Syria, that is not fully controlled by them,” he wrote.

The president also commented on the reaction from Syrian leadership.

“The President of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, is extremely angry and disturbed by this attack,” Trump stated.

“There will be very serious retaliation. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

Officials have not released further details about the circumstances surrounding the attack or the identity of the civilian interpreter who was killed.

The condition of the three wounded personnel has not been updated beyond the president’s statement that they are “doing well.”

‘These Government Agencies Are About as Useful as Nipples on a Bull’: Carl Higbie
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‘These Government Agencies Are About as Useful as Nipples on a Bull’: Carl Higbie

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Conservative commentator Carl Higbie argued that widespread inefficiency across federal agencies demands aggressive budget cuts, saying Washington has grown bloated with programs that deliver little value to taxpayers while draining billions of dollars from the federal budget.

Higbie said his comments have already drawn attention from lawmakers and their staff.

“I ruffled a lot of feathers down in DC, I got a call, a few calls, actually, from congressmen or their staffers, and they were all trying to explain to me, like, Oh, why this can or can’t be done,” he said.

“So I know they’re watching, but here’s just a few ideas.”

He said his criticism is rooted in frustration with waste, not partisan infighting.

“And look, this is coming from a place, honestly, I actually want to help,” Higbie said. “I hate criticizing my own party, but someone’s got to if they’re screwing it up.”

Higbie acknowledged that large-scale cuts would result in job losses but dismissed concerns that Washington would suffer lasting harm.

“Look, there’s going to be a massive bunch of pain for a bunch of bureaucrats who end up getting fired. There always is,” he said.

“But considering the surrounding counties of Washington, DC are some of the wealthiest in the country, I really just don’t care at this point.”

He said Congress should start by making broad reductions across the board. “Let’s look at some of the low hanging fruit,” Higbie said.

“You could just like, codify all the doge cuts, take that right off the top of any budget, like couple 100 billion dollars right there.”

Higbie pointed specifically to the National Endowment for the Arts, questioning why the federal government funds such programs.

“Then you got places like the National Endowments for the Arts, 207 million, like 150 staff, zero reason the government should be funding art programs and things like that,” he said.

“Nothing there.”

He argued those agencies could be eliminated immediately. “And what’s great about this, there’s no turnover. There’s no like winding down, just an immediate cut. Everybody go home, sell the building,” Higbie said.

He made similar remarks about the National Endowment for the Humanities.

“We got the National Endowment for Humanities. I never even heard of this. It’s the same thing on the $200 million organization,” he said.

Higbie added that many small agencies provide little benefit.

“There’s a ton of these, like hundreds of these little agencies in the 100 to $200 million that are about as useful as nipples on a bull.”

Higbie also criticized federally funded research programs.

“Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. What the hell is that they just like, give money to like, write white papers about stuff African development found it,” he said.

He suggested redirecting funds domestically.

“How about we use that money to fund and develop Detroit?”

Turning to larger agencies, Higbie took aim at the Department of Education.

“The department education. Everybody who runs it’s like, yeah, this is great. It’s bad. We got to do this,” he said.

“A lot of folks on Capitol Hill right now promised that they would get rid of this. Donald Trump did too.”

He cited the department’s budget and outcomes as justification.

“There’s 238 billion now we’re talking they don’t employ one active teacher, and since their inception, our kids have gotten, like, marketably dumber,” Higbie said.

“Okay, test scores are in the toilet.”

Higbie also questioned the necessity of the National Weather Service.

“NOAA, here’s another one, folks. This is the weather group, okay, $7 billion or so for this,” he said.

“This might have been needed in the 70s when it was created, but now we have more advanced weather on, like our watches on our iPhones provided by private companies.”

He rejected arguments that such agencies cannot be eliminated.

“We don’t need NOAA anymore. Oh, Carl, we can’t cut that. Yes, we can,” Higbie said.

“We can cut. We can cut whatever we want.”

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Released Illegal Alien Assaults Cop and Tries to Steal His Gun During ICE Raid
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Released Illegal Alien Assaults Cop and Tries to Steal His Gun During ICE Raid

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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents stepped up enforcement operations in Minnesota’s Twin Cities this week as part of what officials are calling “Operation Metro Surge,” a crackdown that shows the consequences of Minneapolis’ long-standing sanctuary policies.

Fox News anchor Bill Hemmer introduced the operation during a live segment, saying, “ICE agents now going out in full force in Minnesota’s twin cities, communities, as the Trump administration steps up the fight against illegal immigration. Mike Tobin has been there all week, back in Minneapolis again today. Mike, good morning.”

Correspondent Mike Tobin reported from Minneapolis, where ICE agents have been conducting targeted operations after repeated failures by local authorities to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.

“Good morning. Bill, Operation Metro surge is in full swing. Hundreds have been taken off the street now,” Tobin said.

He noted that Minneapolis has been a sanctuary city since 2003, which has complicated routine immigration enforcement and forced ICE to conduct arrests in neighborhoods rather than inside jails.

Tobin described a recent case involving a 26-year-old from Ecuador who allegedly entered the United States illegally in 2023.

“Minneapolis has been a sanctuary city since 2003 so the warrant that ICE agents served yesterday is pretty typical,” Tobin said.

“You’ve got a guy who they say entered the US illegally in 2023 came to the Twin Cities, broke the law and was jailed but released.”

Because the individual was released before an ICE detainer could be processed, agents were forced to track him down in the community.

“The target of this rape is a twin 26 year old from Ecuador,” Tobin said, describing the operation.

He explained that agents were able to enter the residence without breaching the door.

“When the agent showed up here on the scene, they were actually met at the door. So you didn’t have a big breach of the door. They didn’t have to break it down.”

The operation resulted in additional arrests. “They went in and got the individual,” Tobin said, adding that because there was no jail handoff, agents made what are known as collateral arrests.

“You get the collateral arrest other people who were in the house. They took at least three guys out of the house right now.”

Tobin said the suspect had previously been arrested after being found intoxicated in East Minneapolis.

“They found him here in East Minneapolis, slumped over a car, intoxicated in some way, shape or form,” he said.

According to Tobin, the encounter escalated.

“The arresting officer, he got into a fight with him. He attempted to choke him out, and he attempted to get his weapon.”

Despite the seriousness of the incident, the individual was released.

“This is an individual who was then booked into Minneapolis. PD, but before they could get all the paperwork done for an ice detainer, he was released on the street,” Tobin said.

That release triggered a larger enforcement action. “So now, instead of a handover in the jail or in a courtroom, you have a big tactical operation in the neighborhood,” he said.

The operation also drew protests, with demonstrators attempting to interfere.

“You had people blowing their whistles. So the protesters came out,” Tobin said.

One protester crossed the line into physical confrontation.

“One woman who came out to protest her, she shoved one of the agents who was guarding the perimeter that was enough for her to get zip tied and hauled into federal custody.”

Tobin concluded by pointing to the root of the problem.

“And keep in mind, none of this happens if (unitelligable) from Ecuador was handed over in the jail.”

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Honduran Socialist Loser Rejects Election Loss, Accuses Trump of Rigging Election
Trump

Honduran Socialist Loser Rejects Election Loss, Accuses Trump of Rigging Election

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Rixi Moncada, the presidential candidate for Honduras’ ruling Libre party, announced Sunday that she and the party do not accept the preliminary results of the November 30 election.

Moncada called for protests, the annulment of the vote, and accused President Donald Trump of “coercing” the electoral process.

The statements were delivered during a Sunday night press conference in which Moncada read an official party declaration denouncing what she described as an “electoral coup.”

“Libre does not recognize the elections held under the interference and coercion of Donald Trump and the allied oligarchy that attacked the people with an electoral coup,” Moncada said.

She further accused opponents of engaging in “electoral terrorism” and claimed that foreign influence played a role in shaping the results.

Honduras has spent the past week in a period of electoral uncertainty.

As of Sunday night, the country’s National Electoral Council (CNE) had not finalized the vote count.

The agency attributed the delays to “technical problems” allegedly reported by a service provider hired to operate the vote transmission system.

The extended delay has left candidates and parties questioning the progression of the tally.

Preliminary figures reported by local outlets over the weekend show conservative candidate Nasry Asfura, who received President Trump’s backing, leading by approximately 0.7 percent over Salvador Nasralla of the Liberal Party.

Nasralla, a former vice president under current President Xiomara Castro, remains close behind in the count.

Moncada, representing the governing socialist administration of President Xiomara Castro, has remained in third place with less than 20 percent of the vote.

Based on the reported preliminary numbers, she does not have a viable path to victory regardless of which of the top two candidates ultimately prevails.

Throughout the week, Moncada repeatedly accused President Trump of “electoral fraud and interference,” tying her claims to Trump’s endorsement of Asfura and his public criticism of her support for the late Cuban communist leader Fidel Castro.

Honduran newspaper El Heraldo reported that Moncada again rejected what she called the “imperial narrative of communism,” which she said was used as an “attack” against her during the campaign.

Moncada also announced that the Libre party would disavow any public official who “places themselves at the disposal of and announces cooperation in the government transition with the enemies of the people, the perpetrators of this ongoing electoral coup.”

She called on supporters to participate in demonstrations, sit-ins, and protests scheduled for Saturday, December 13, stating, “No one here is giving up, no to the electoral coup, no to interference,” and urging the public to defend what she described as “national dignity.”

In a separate development, Liberal Party candidate Salvador Nasralla told Reuters on Thursday that President Trump “damaged” his chances of winning the election through alleged “last-minute interference.”

According to Nasralla, Trump’s endorsement of Asfura “flipped” the race in favor of the conservative candidate.

In the days leading up to the vote, President Trump criticized Moncada for her praise of Fidel Castro and referred to Nasralla as a “borderline communist.”

Nasralla, during his Reuters interview, described himself as “center-right.”

D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith to Step Down Following Trump’s Move to Federalize Metropolitan Police Department
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D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith to Step Down Following Trump’s Move to Federalize Metropolitan Police Department

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Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela A. Smith will leave her position at the end of the year, according to an announcement released Monday, as reported by The Gateway Pundit.

Her departure comes months after President Donald Trump invoked Section 740 of the D.C. Home Rule Act to place the Metropolitan Police Department under direct federal control and authorize the deployment of National Guard personnel across Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON – February 22, 2025: President Donald Trump arrives at the White House South Lawn on Marine One after his visit to CPAC.

NBC 4 Washington reported that Smith’s final day in office will be December 31. She was appointed in 2023 and became the first Black woman to serve as chief of the department.

Smith joined the MPD in 2022 and previously served as its Chief Equity Officer, where she led the agency’s DEI-related initiatives.

In a statement, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said Smith assumed leadership during a challenging period for the city.

“She came in at a challenging time for our community, where there was significant urgency to reverse the crime trends our city was facing post-pandemic,” Bowser said.

“Chief Smith dramatically drove down violent crime, drove down the homicide rate to its lowest levels in eight years, and helped us restore a sense of safety and accountability in our neighborhoods. We are grateful for her service to Washington, DC.”

Smith also released a statement acknowledging her departure. “I am deeply humbled, grateful, and deeply appreciative of my time with the District of Columbia,” she said.

“Serving as Chief of Police has been the greatest honor of my career, and I want to extend my sincere thanks to Mayor Muriel Bowser for appointing me to this position and to the DC Council for their steadfast support throughout my tenure.”

Smith added, “I am confident that the department is in a strong position and that the great work will continue, moving in a positive trajectory to combat crime and enhance public safety. Washington, DC is an extraordinary place to live, visit, and work, and I remain inspired by the resilience and spirit of this community.”

President Trump announced over the summer that he was invoking federal authority to assume control of the Metropolitan Police Department.

“We’re formally declaring a public safety emergency. This is an emergency. This is a tragic emergency, and it’s embarrassing,” Trump said at the time.

“This city will no longer be a sanctuary for illegal alien criminals. We will have full, seamless, integrated cooperation at all levels of law enforcement, and we’ll deploy officers across the district with an overwhelming presence.”

Trump stated that Attorney General Pam Bondi was “taking command” of the department as part of the restructuring.

During a subsequent press conference, Smith was asked about the current chain of command.

When a reporter asked, “Do you know what the chain of command is now?” Smith replied, “What does that mean?” before walking away from the podium. Bowser then stepped in to continue the briefing.

Smith remains in her position until the end of December as federal oversight continues.

J6 Pipe Bomb Arrest Sparks New Questions About FBI’s Five-Year Failure
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J6 Pipe Bomb Arrest Sparks New Questions About FBI’s Five-Year Failure

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Court documents and recent media reports following the arrest of Jan. 6 pipe bomb suspect Brian Cole Jr. describe him as a 30-year-old resident of Woodbridge, Virginia, who lived in his mother’s home about 20 minutes from Washington, D.C.

Relatives told reporters he is socially isolated and has developmental challenges.

His grandmother, Loretta Cole, said he is “very naïve . . . He’s almost autistic-like because he doesn’t understand a lot of stuff,” adding, “He’s slow. He may be 30, but he’s got the mind of a 16-year-old.”

The account of Cole as described by family members contrasts with the fact that the suspect remained unidentified for almost five years.

Statements made in interviews and public comments have pointed to concerns about lapses in the early stages of the investigation.

Former federal officials suggested that actions taken in 2021 may have contributed to delays, including what one former official referred to as “intentional negligence.”

The case unfolded during a period when the FBI located and charged more than 1,500 individuals connected to the Capitol breach.

Investigators used cellphone data and video footage to identify those who were present in restricted areas.

Surveillance images from the evening of Jan. 5, 2021, showed an individual in a gray hoodie and white mask walking near the Democratic National Committee and Republican National Committee buildings.

The person appeared to be holding a phone while moving through the area where the explosives were later found.

According to an FBI filing submitted in federal court during Cole’s arraignment, Cole’s cellphone “engaged in approximately seven data session transactions with [his cell phone provider’s] towers between 7:39 p.m. and 8:24 p.m. . . . in the area of the RNC and DNC on January 5, 2021.”

The filing stated that investigators obtained this information within weeks of the discovery of the devices.

A congressional report released in January by House subcommittee chairmen Barry Loudermilk and Thomas Massie said investigators initially identified 186 cellphone numbers “of interest,” and 130 “devices of interest.”

By early February 2021, agents had begun outreach connected to 36 of those numbers.

The report said that 98 numbers needed additional investigative work and that 51 numbers were classified as requiring no further steps because the devices “belong[ed] to law enforcement officers or persons on the exclusion list.”

The report stated that Congress was never informed of the outcomes of those leads.

Questions expanded after former FBI Washington Field Office head Steve D’Antuono testified before Congress in June 2023.

He said investigators had received “corrupted data” from one of the wireless carriers.

“We did a complete geofence. [but] there’s some data that was corrupted by one of the providers, not purposely by them,” he said.

He also stated that he could not recall which carrier was involved.

However, all three major carriers later told the Loudermilk subcommittee they “did not provide corrupted data to the FBI and that the FBI never notified them of any issues with accessing the cellular data.”

The investigation also involved reviewing approximately 39,000 surveillance video files.

Footage released publicly was low resolution.

Mike Benz, a former State Department official and executive director of the Foundation for Freedom Online, said that one publicly released clip appeared to show a blur or pixel effect over the suspect’s eyes while the individual sat on a bench outside the DNC.

Whether the effect came from the original recording or later compression was not clarified in the materials released.

According to subcommittee findings, investigators had multiple persons of interest during the initial weeks.

By late February 2021, the report said the investigation began shifting resources away from the pipe bomb case.

At the same time, investigators increased resources connected to identifying individuals involved in unlawful entry onto Capitol grounds.

Public commentary following Cole’s arrest has raised questions about the early direction of the investigation and whether decisions made by leadership affected the pace or focus of the case.

Statements made by critics referenced political dynamics surrounding the events of Jan. 6 and public messaging by federal officials during that period.

‘They Were Lighting Tax Dollars on Fire to Pay Off Their Friends’: Lee Zeldin
Democrats

‘They Were Lighting Tax Dollars on Fire to Pay Off Their Friends’: Lee Zeldin

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Lee Zeldin said the federal government must adopt a strict zero-tolerance policy toward waste and abuse, regardless of which party controls Washington.

Citing a canceled multibillion-dollar program, he argued that taxpayer money had been routed through layers of intermediaries who took large cuts before any funds reached their intended purpose.

Zeldin highlighted what investigators found inside the program.

He said, “Should have a zero tolerance policy, no matter who’s in charge of government any given time for any waste and abuse whatsoever. And get this we found in one program, solar for all, which is a $7 billion program that we have canceled and Congress has rescinded, that the money was going through at times four pass throughs.”

He said each intermediary took a sizable share of the funds.

Zeldin continued, “So $1 would go through four passers where each of them were taking at least 15 to 25% cut.”

He argued that this structure made the program inherently inefficient and unacceptable for any responsible government.

Zeldin said expectations for good governance should not depend on which administration is in power.

He stated, “So if Listen, we’re going to be honest and fair and good stewards of tax dollars. That zero tolerance policy should be the way, whether it’s President Trump in office or his predecessor.”

He then criticized the prior administration for failing to uphold those standards when it held unified control of Congress. Zeldin said, “Unfortunately, his predecessor wouldn’t had one party rule in Congress. They were lighting tax dollars on fire, left and right to pay off their friends.”

Zeldin said the cancellation of the program demonstrates a renewed focus on oversight and accountability, with the goal of preventing similar waste in future spending initiatives.

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Dem Rep Grijalva Whines About the Consequences of Her Interfering with ICE Operations
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Dem Rep Grijalva Whines About the Consequences of Her Interfering with ICE Operations

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Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ) appeared on MS Now on Saturday to describe what she said occurred during an encounter with ICE agents one day earlier.

Grijalva said she joined a group of protesters at a law enforcement operation on Friday, where she alleged she was shoved aside and pepper-sprayed after identifying herself as a member of Congress.

According to Grijalva, she approached agents to ask questions about the ongoing operation and was attempting to “understand what’s happening.”

She said the situation escalated when agents directed her to move away from the area.

Grijalva claimed one agent told her, “I don’t care who you are, you need to get out of the way.”

During her interview, hosted by Jen Psaki, Grijalva repeated her allegation that she and her staff were pushed and pepper-sprayed.

She then made a new claim, telling viewers that she was “shot at” during the encounter.

Psaki opened the segment by expressing concern for Grijalva and her staff.

“First of all, it’s great to see you. I’m happy to see that you’re okay. How are you? How are your staff doing?” Psaki asked.

Grijalva responded by describing the incident as “really scary, very jarring,” saying, “I mean, it’s one thing to hear about these things happening in communities. It’s another thing to have it happen directly to you.”

She added, “I really did go, you know, with the assumption that I’m just trying to understand what’s happening. And so I went up, I introduced myself, I let them know who I was. One agent said, ‘I don’t care who you are, you need to get out of the way.’”

Grijalva continued, “We were pushed. We were shot at. And it’s really scary. It was very frightening and very jarring.”

Federal officials disputed her description of events.

DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin publicly challenged the accuracy of Grijalva’s statements after the congresswoman claimed she had been attacked by ICE personnel.

Video of the incident shows that nonlethal projectiles were used during the operation.

The footage does not show Grijalva being pepper-sprayed in the face.

Instead, the recording indicates she approached agents, refused commands to move back, and remained close to the line of officers.

A pepper ball was fired at the ground near her while she continued advancing toward agents.

The video also shows the crowd shouting and moving toward ICE personnel as officers attempted to clear the area.

Grijalva was among those in close proximity to agents at the time the nonlethal round impacted the ground.

ICE agents had been carrying out an enforcement action when protesters gathered around the scene.

The agency uses pepper ball launchers as a crowd-management tool, and officials said the device deployed in this instance was not directed at Grijalva but toward the ground to create distance between officers and demonstrators.


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