San Diego City Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera called Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents “terrorists” in a recent social media post.
The statement came as ICE authorities carried out arrests in the city.
“Look at this photo. This isn’t a war zone—it’s a neighborhood in our city,” Elo-Rivera wrote on social media, sharing a photo of ICE operations. “In San Diego, they’ve targeted parents dropping off their kids at school, people following the law inside courthouses, and workers just doing their jobs at local restaurants.”
He added, “These are federal agents carrying out raids on under the false pretense of ‘safety.’ This isn’t safety. It’s state-sponsored terrorism. And anyone who cares about freedom—and true safety—should be fighting back.”
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) condemned the statement, calling it “SICKENING” and noting that ICE agents work “day and night to remove murders, pedophiles, and gang members from American communities.”
White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller commented on the matter, saying, “We are living in the age of leftwing domestic terrorism. They are openly encouraging violence against law enforcement to aid and abet the invasion of America.”
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria condemned ICE’s activities, saying, “Like many San Diegans, I was deeply upset by Friday night’s immigration enforcement operation at Buona Forchetta and Enoteca Buona Forchetta in South Park.” He added, “Federal actions like these are billed as a public safety measure, but it had the complete opposite effect.”
Similar comments against ICE agents have been made by Representative Dan Goldman (D-NY) and Governor Tim Walz (D-MN). Both Democrats compared ICE to the Gestapo, with Goldman claiming that ICE engages in “Gestapo-like behavior” and Walz asserting that ICE is the “modern-day Gestapo.”
