Democrats Try To Scare Americans
Sen. Richard Blumenthal on Thursday claimed Americans should be “terrified” by what he described as aggressive actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), escalating Democratic criticism of federal immigration enforcement as operations expand nationwide.
Blumenthal’s remarks came after Associated Press reported on an internal ICE memo outlining how the agency interprets its enforcement authority. According to the report, the guidance suggests agents may, in limited situations, enter residences without first obtaining a judicial warrant.
During an appearance on CNN News Central, Blumenthal accused the agency of undermining Fourth Amendment protections, calling the policy an assault on Americans’ expectation of privacy inside their homes.
The Connecticut Democrat argued that the internal guidance effectively allows agents to enter homes and detain individuals without prior court approval, warning that such authority could be abused without stricter oversight. He also called on Republicans in Congress to intervene, insisting that civil liberties must be protected in practice, not just in rhetoric.
Blumenthal’s comments are part of a broader Democratic pushback against stepped-up immigration enforcement under President Trump. Sen. Chris Murphy, also a Democrat, recently labeled ICE’s actions “inhumane” and “illegal” during an interview on Meet the Press.
Murphy pointed to a case in which a teenager in Connecticut was detained despite being in the country legally, arguing the incident reflected what Democrats describe as excessive enforcement tactics.
Similar criticism followed a reported incident in Minnesota in which ICE detained a father and his five-year-old son shortly after the child returned home from preschool. The episode drew a response from Gov. Tim Walz, who weighed in amid an increase in immigration enforcement activity across the state.
Writing on X, Walz said Minnesotans want safety and freedom, claiming that highly visible enforcement actions involving children undermine public confidence.
The dispute highlights the growing divide in Washington over immigration enforcement, constitutional limits, and public safety—an issue expected to remain a flashpoint as border security and interior enforcement continue to dominate the national debate.
