Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) slammed his colleagues for calling to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement, defending ICE agents and saying he “fully supports” the members of law enforcement.
Fetterman blasted those, including his Democratic colleagues, who have called to abolish the federal law enforcement agency, which is responsible for arresting and deporting illegal aliens.
“ICE agents are just doing their job, and I fully support that,” the Pennsylvania Senator said in a video. “People in my party might want to abolish it or treat them as criminals or anything, that’s just inappropriate and outrageous,” he went on to say. “ICE performs an important job for our nation.”
Fetterman doubled down on his comments in a statement on social media Thursday. “ICE performs an important job for our country,” the Democrat from Pennsylvania wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, as he doubled down on his message. “Any calls to abolish ICE are [100%] inappropriate and outrageous.”
ICE performs an important job for our country.
Any calls to abolish ICE are 💯 inappropriate and outrageous.
— U.S. Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) July 10, 2025
But shortly after his comments defending ICE, Fetterman voiced his support for mass amnesty for illegal aliens, a longtime goal of Democrat politicians.
“Absolutely support amnesty for the hardworking, otherwise law-abiding migrant workers,” Fetterman said online. “Round up and deport the criminals. We must acknowledge the critical contribution migrants make to our nation’s economy.”
The statements come just after an anonymous House Democrat indicated that opponents of mass deportations must be willing to get shot while protesting ICE. “There needs to be blood to grab the attention of the press and the public,” the Democrat said.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) recently called for ICE to be abolished in a fundraising email, in which she dubbed ICE a “rogue agency.”
Fetterman’s break with Democrat colleagues who advocate for the abolition of ICE comes as the federal agency has been hit with a wave of attacks.
A gunman was killed after opening fire on Border Patrol agents in McAllen, Texas, in what authorities say appeared to be “a purposeful ambush/attack against federal agents.” Two officers were injured in the attack.
Other radicals have set out to obstruct ICE agents as they arrest illegal aliens, or foster violent unrest at protests against the agents. Four individuals were arrested in Los Angeles upon suspicion that they laid homemade road spikes in the way of law enforcement vehicles.
