South Bend Times

Congressman Rudy Yakym from Indiana has voiced his support for law enforcement agencies, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In a recent statement, he criticized the Democratic Party's approach to crime and law enforcement.

"America is a country of law and order, but Democrats would rather protect criminals and let gang members rule the streets," said Rep. Yakym. He attributed attacks on law enforcement to what he described as the left's demonization of these agencies, claiming that it reflects poorly on a party lacking leadership and direction.

The congressman's comments come in light of recent reports highlighting increased assaults on ICE agents. According to Fox News, there have been two ambush attacks targeting ICE agents recently, while the Department of Homeland Security reported nearly a 700% rise in assaults on ICE compared to the previous year.

Yakym referenced various statements made by Democratic leaders critical of ICE and other federal law enforcement actions. These include remarks by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz comparing Trump's administration tactics to those of "gestapo," as well as comments from Boston Mayor Michelle Wu about mask-wearing practices among police departments.

Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries expressed concerns about ICE agents' activities, stating: "Every single ICE agent who’s engaged in this aggressive overreach...will be unsuccessful in doing that." He also accused ICE of targeting "law-abiding immigrant families."

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez described ICE as a "rogue agency" formed during the Patriot Act era that should not exist, while Rep. Kamlager-Dove referred to current immigration policies as "domestic terrorism."

Yakym emphasized his support for federal law enforcement through the proposed One Big Beautiful Bill, which aims to invest over $150 billion in border security and interior enforcement. The bill seeks to secure borders, expand detention capacity, hire additional personnel across various agencies, provide bonuses for agents, increase immigration court resources, and enhance transportation capabilities for deportations.