Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), who recently launched a gubernatorial campaign, said he would charge ICE agents if he became governor.
Jason Johnson of MS NOW’s “All In” asked the Democrat, “What would you do if you are able to be elected as governor of California? Yes, we’ve seen over just not just one year of this new regime, that it’s the states that tend to be the strongest pushback.”
“It’s the governors of Illinois, it’s the governor of Michigan, governor of Virginia, Maryland, everything else like that,” he said. “What will you bring to the table? Because California, just by size and GDP alone, is sort of the tip of the spear. What would you bring to the table as a governor of California?”
“Well, you have immense powers as governor of California and your responsibility to protect the most vulnerable in the state. So if the president is going to send ICE agents to chase immigrants through the fields where they work, what I’m going to do is make sure that they take off their masks and show their faces, that they show their identification,” Swalwell responded. “And if they commit crimes that they’re going to be charged with crimes, if it’s falsely imprisoning people, if it’s kidnapping, if it’s assault battery, they’re going to be held accountable.”
He further threatened to revoke ICE agents’ licenses. “I also think if the governor has the ability to issue driver’s licenses to people in California, if you’re going to wear a mask and not identify yourself, you’re not going to be eligible to drive a vehicle in California,” he explained. “There’s a lot you can do, but most importantly, you have to go on offense. Otherwise, the most vulnerable in our community will always be on defense.”
Swalwell launched a gubernatorial campaign in November. Announcing his campaign on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” Swalwell vowed to be a “protector and fighter” for California.
