Vice President JD Vance criticized California Governor Gavin Newsom on Wednesday, claiming that Newsom is “encouraging irrational individuals” to target law enforcement. This accusation came shortly after a shooting incident at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Dallas.
Vance’s strong condemnation followed Newsom’s guest appearance on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” where Newsom labelled the Trump administration as an “authoritarian government” during the episode.
“Those who contribute to our safety should be respected, honored, and cherished by both parties,” the Vice President stated during his event in Concord, NC.
Details on the Dallas ICE facility shooting
- A gunman, identified as 29-year-old Joshua Jahn, opened fire on an ICE vehicle at a detention center in Dallas, Texas, early on September 24.
- Reports indicate that Jahn started shooting while detainees were being moved and the facility gate was open.
- One person succumbed to injuries, and two others were reported hurt. Authorities found Jahn dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound on a nearby rooftop.
- Investigators noted inscriptions on the bullets, including one that said “ANTI-ICE,” according to the FBI.
- Joe Rothrock, head of the FBI’s Dallas Field Office, confirmed that the shooting is being examined as a “targeted act of violence” during a press briefing.
“We must halt the verbal attacks on law enforcement—this behavior directly leads to incidents like what just occurred, as seen with Democrats, particularly [California Governor] Gavin Newsom, labeling these officers as part of some authoritarian regime. The left-wing media’s distortion of facts about law enforcement’s role and actions breeds violence against those who protect us,” Vance continued.
“You don’t need to align with my or Donald Trump’s immigration viewpoints, but if your political discourse instigates violence against law enforcement, you can take your rhetoric elsewhere as it has no place in American politics,” Vance expressed.
In response to Vance’s comments, Newsom took to social media to say, “No thanks, JD. I won’t be going ‘straight to hell’ today.”
“Although, I do feel like I’m there every time I hear you speak,” the governor added.
Newsom argued that rising immigration enforcement operations under Trump have caused erosion of public trust in law enforcement, referencing a recent episode where agents allegedly “brandished weapons and handcuffed” a disabled teenager in Los Angeles, expressing outrage over “masked individuals jumping out of unmarked vehicles. People disappearing. No due process. No accountability. This is happening in America today.”
“People question whether we are being overly dramatic about authoritarianism—it’s far from it,” he asserted. “If you’re in a black or brown community, it’s very much a reality right now.
“These actions are not merely authoritarian tendencies; they are indicative of an authoritarian government in action,” he concluded.
One fatality and at least two injuries were confirmed in the early Wednesday shooting at the ICE facility in Dallas, authorities reported.
The victims were migrant detainees, and officials confirmed that none of the law enforcement personnel were hurt. According to police, the shooter, Joshua Jahn, targeted a van transporting migrants to the facility. Jahn reportedly took his own life when law enforcement approached.
It was revealed that the message “ANTI-ICE” was written on ammo casings found near his body.
