Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin told Newsmax on Monday that protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities are becoming more sophisticated and coordinated — and federal agencies are working together to uncover who is bankrolling the unrest.
In an interview on Newsmax’s “National Report,” McLaughlin detailed how demonstrations in cities across the country are no longer just spontaneous gatherings.
“We’re seeing that these protests, whether it be in Portland, whether it be in Los Angeles, whether it be in Chicago, they are becoming increasingly organized. There are people who are being bused in. They’re professional protesters. They do this as a full-time job for a living,” McLaughlin said. “And so we’re following the money. We’re working as a whole-of-government approach that President Trump has directed. We’re working with the Treasury Department, Homeland Security Investigations, [and] FBI. Who is funding this chaos and violence?”
McLaughlin highlighted a recent flashpoint in Broadview, Illinois, where ICE operates a detention facility. There, she said, agents recovered two firearms from protesters during an incident that could have turned deadly.
“We just saw out of Broadview, which is a suburb out of Chicago. It’s a detention facility. We just took two firearms that were on protesters. Fortunately, no one was hurt,” she said.
The Illinois clash, McLaughlin added, is part of a pattern of escalating confrontations. She also referenced recent violence in Dallas as another example of how demonstrations have shifted from peaceful protest to what she called “chaos and violence.”
McLaughlin placed some of the blame on sanctuary city policies and local politicians, arguing they’re hampering law enforcement’s ability to keep order and protect ICE operations.
“We wouldn’t have to be deploying these tactics if these leaders would just do their jobs. We’ve called continually for backup from these local police departments, but the local police can’t really respond because of these sanctuary city politicians,” she said.
She described scenes where federal officers have been assaulted, vehicles blocked, and operations obstructed, saying the safety of law enforcement and the public is at risk.
“When our law enforcement is being assaulted, we will use those measures,” McLaughlin said. “We’re seeing they’re obstructing operations, pushing back our vehicles.”
McLaughlin also urged Americans to understand who is inside ICE processing centers, warning that these facilities detain dangerous individuals.
“The American people should know who’s in those processing facilities at ICE. It’s drug traffickers. It’s known or suspected terrorists, MS-13 gang members, child predators — truly the worst of the worst individuals,” she emphasized. “So why are these individuals outside of our processing centers trying to obstruct operations and hurt law enforcement?”
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