Former Department of Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli on Newsmax Saturday condemned rising political violence against Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and defended the agency's use of masks, saying that targeting law enforcement over immigration policy is "terrorism" when it turns violent.
Cuccinelli said efforts by some state lawmakers to unmask ICE agents amid a sharp rise in violence against them put the officers' safety at risk and fuel political extremism.
Appearing on "America Right Now," Cuccinelli responded to concerns over 21 states considering legislation that would require officers to show their faces during operations — a move critics argue would expose them to threats.
"I'll tell you where to start. Let's start in 2020," Cuccinelli said.
"I don't remember Sunny Hostin complaining about all the people who were masking up to hide their violent domestic terrorism during the burning of cities in the second half of 2020," he said of the co-host of ABC's "The View" and senior legal correspondent for ABC News.
"I don't remember a lot of the people who are producing the kind of rhetoric ... referred to today ... being terribly concerned about masked, violent domestic terrorists.
"Let's be really clear: When you commit violence for political aims, that is the definition of terrorism. Whether it's a bomb or a rock, it's terrorism," he said.
"One of my frustrations when I was deputy secretary in 2020 is a frustration I'm seeing again today. What is so hard about condemning all violence — all violence?"
He said critics of ICE are primarily upset over the shift in policy from the Biden administration to the Trump administration.
"We all know what these complaints are about. They're mad Donald Trump won and that he's actually deporting people," Cuccinelli said.
His comments come days after DHS said assaults on ICE officers surged 830% between Jan. 21 and July 14 compared to the same period in the previous year. DHS attributed the increase to inflammatory public rhetoric, including doxing and harassment of agents.
A point of controversy has been ICE officers wearing masks during arrest operations. Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons told CBS News this week that he's "said it publicly before, I'm not a proponent of the masks."
"However, if that's a tool that the men and women of ICE to keep themselves and their family safe, then I will allow it. I do kind of push back on the criticism that they don't identify themselves," he said.
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Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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