The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a response to the criticisms made by Joe Rogan.
In a recent episode of his popular podcast, Rogan discussed the tragic death of Renee Nicole Smith and the ongoing ICE raids occurring in Minneapolis and other parts of the United States.
While speaking with Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, Rogan expressed concerns over Good’s “horrific” death: “After that woman was shot, unfortunately, I mean, everything’s unfortunate about it. But one of the real problems is now, ICE are villains. And now people are looking at them like murderous, military people, that run the streets of our city.
“They’re masked up, which is also a problem, right, because if you get arrested by a cop, you’re allowed to ask the cop, ‘what is your name and badge number?’ And you could film that cop.”
Rogan continued: “But if you get arrested by an ICE agent, you have no such right, you’re wearing a mask, they don’t have to tell you sh*t. That’s a problem, that’s a problem on our city streets, right?”
He also expressed understanding for those who are against having militarized personnel patrolling the streets and ‘snatching people up,’ pointing out that these individuals are often US citizens who simply lack identification on them at the time.
He added: “Are we really going to be the Gestapo? ‘Where are you’re papers?'”
During an appearance on Fox News, Tricia McLaughlin, DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, was asked for her thoughts on Rogan’s views. A clip from his podcast was played for her.
When asked to respond to his comments, McLaughlin stated: “If Tim Walz and Mayor [Jacob] Frey would let us in their jails, we wouldn’t have to be there at all.”
She elaborated: “Currently there are 680 illegal aliens that includes murderers, that includes rapists, child pedophiles, people who, whether you’re Republican or Democrat, you would never want these people to be on your streets or [to be] your neighbors.
“That’s the people who we are targeting and we’re trying to get out of Minneapolis, because we don’t have state and local law enforcement’s help, we have to have a physical presence on the ground there.”
McLaughlin emphasized that cooperation with state law enforcement in aiding the FBI and ICE in their investigations would lead to improved outcomes for Americans.
“We want to give accountability for it and we want to give answers,” she concluded.