“Enough bullshit. I’ll go anywhere and talk to anyone, but I won’t stand by while people are publicly executed and our communities are terrorized. Tear ICE down and replace it.” – John Larson
Hartford, CT — Yesterday, Congressman Larson joined hundreds of activists and community members at an Indivisible rally at the State Capitol, where he condemned Immigration and Customs Enforcement after agents shot and killed another Minneapolis resident.
During the rally, Larson also joined demonstrators on the streets where he engaged in a heated exchange with a pro-ICE protester. In a video from the event, Larson forcefully called for ICE to be torn down, rejected calls to downplay the violence committed by federal agents, and demanded action instead of silence. The exchange quickly spread online as a reflection of growing public anger over ICE’s unchecked power and brutality.
“This is what America is all about,” Larson said. “You gotta stand up for what you believe and what are the rights of the American people. Imagine, not one but two people now in Minneapolis being murdered. There’s not another word for it other than murder.”
Larson believes we must do more than just abolish the agency. He called for criminal prosecutions for the murders and demanded action against the Department of Homeland Security, ICE, and the Trump administration. He reiterated his call to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, highlighted his efforts to redirect ICE funding toward lowering health care costs and expanding affordable housing, and pointed to legislation he supports to require ICE agents to identify themselves, ban masks, and prohibit raids in schools, hospitals, and places of worship.
“Every option must be on the table,” Larson said. “I will not stop until our rights are protected and our communities are safe from ICE’s threats and violence. I’m calling on the Senate to vote NO and block funding for ICE. An agency that terrorizes communities, ignores the Constitution, and kills Americans deserves zero taxpayer dollars.”
Congressman Larson has consistently led efforts to rein in ICE and hold its agents accountable for lawlessness and abuses of power:
- Rallied outside CBP headquarters in Washington, D.C. to demand action
- Stood with Connecticut communities after ICE detained seven workers at a Newington car wash and separated a mother from her child — actions he said are “not the America I know”
- Repeatedly condemned ICE’s actions for terrorizing communities and trampling constitutional rights
- Voted against the Department of Homeland Security funding bill
- Called for full accountability, criminal prosecution, and an independent investigation into the public executions of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti
- Alongside his colleagues, filed three articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem
- Cosponsored legislation to require ICE agents to clearly identify themselves, ban masks, and prohibit raids in sensitive locations like schools, hospitals, courthouses, and houses of worship
- Cosponsored legislation to redirect ICE funding toward lowering health care costs and expanding affordable housing
Larson concluded by thanking those in attendance, saying, “Thank you for being here. Thank you for standing up for America, and know that we will continue your fight down in Congress and we will win. We will prevail because that’s what America is all about.”