Jasmine Crockett: ICE agents in Minneapolis are ‘turning us into Nazi Germany’

Texas congresswoman Jasmine Crockett compared the actions of federal agents in Minnesota, where an agent shot dead a man Saturday, to “Nazi Germany” during a Democratic debate for the U.S. Senate.

Crockett and state Rep. James Talarico are the leading candidates in the Democratic primary, hoping to win in March and be on the ticket in November for Sen. John Cornyn’s seat.

The two Democrats took the stage in Georgetown, north of Austin, shortly after federal immigration agents in Minneapolis had shot 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Pretti, an intensive-care nurse for a VA hospital. The shooting came just weeks after Renee Good was shot and killed by an immigration officer in the same city.

The Saturday killing was recorded by bystanders from different angles, showing a group of federal officers tackle Pretti as he appeared to be using a phone to record them. Pretti was legally carrying a handgun, according to Minnesota authorities, and was shot multiple times after he was on the ground. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told reporters that the fact that Pretti carried a weapon “looks like a situation where an individual arrived at the scene to inflict maximum damage on individuals and to kill law enforcement,” contradicting video evidence of the encounter.

At one point during Saturday’s debate, the moderators asked Crockett and Talarico about how they’d balance their feelings toward ICE while also representing Texans who support deporting undocumented immigrants.

“As it relates to the enforcement that we see right now, let me be clear: They are supposed to do immigration and customs enforcement,” Crockett said. “Not going after U.S. citizens. Not going after people that are documented. That is not what they are supposed to do, but that is what they’re doing. They are turning us into Nazi Germany by saying they’re going to go door to door.”

She continued, “They’re going after people because of their accent or the color of their skin, because this Supreme Court gave them carte blanche ability to do so. So all we want ICE to do is to do what ICE was created to do, and unfortunately, that’s not what they are doing.”

Asked the same question, Talarico said the southern border should be like a front porch.

“There should be a giant welcome mat out front and a lock on the door,” he said. “We can welcome immigrants who want to live the American dream. We can build a pathway to citizenship for those neighbors who have been here making us richer and stronger, and we can keep out people who mean to do us harm.”

Earlier in the debate, Talarico also had sharp words about ICE, when asked whether he thinks the agency should be abolished or defunded.

“ICE shot a mother in the face,” he said. “ICE kidnapped a 5-year-old boy. ICE executed a man in broad daylight on our streets just this morning. It’s time to tear down this secret police force and replace it with an agency that actually is going to focus on public safety.”

Pressed again on whether he’d abolish or defund ICE, Talarico responded that the country has seen a historic increase in ICE funding.

“That money has come out of our health care, so what I would say is that we should take that money back and put it in our communities where it belongs,” Talarico said.

Crockett said “we absolutely have to clean house.”

“Whatever that looks like, I am willing to do it,” she said. “Because if there are truly Proud Boys that are currently in ICE, that’s a problem.”

Both candidates said they support impeaching United States Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.

ICE isn’t following the law, Crockett said.

“They’re killing people in the middle of the street,” she said. “They decided to execute a mother of three in broad daylight. I don’t understand how we are sitting here and acting like this is normal.”