Michigan Democrat Abdul El‑Sayed, who is running in the primary for the state's open Senate seat next year, called Border Patrol agents "white supremacists" and said the U.S. government was to blame for causing illegal immigration in a now-deleted social media post.
The Sept. 24, 2021, post on X, which was accessed by The Washington Free Beacon before El-Sayed deleted it, commented on a photo that he claimed showed a federal agent on horseback holding a whip while apprehending illegal aliens. The agent, who was ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing, was reportedly holding the horse's rein.
"Blaming horses for the dudes riding them to whip Haitian refugees is like blaming Haiti for the fact they're coming," El-Sayed wrote, according to a screenshot. "How about asking how our policies decimate Caribbean & Central American (and so many other) countries—and why we allow white supremacists to police our borders?"
The deletion comes amid growing scrutiny of El-Sayed's past social media remarks and fundraising messages. In a June interview with a controversial anti-Israel media personality, El-Sayed criticized U.S. support for Israel and said, "you can both condemn Hamas terrorism and Israel's murder since."
CNN reported Monday that the Michigan Senate hopeful also deleted posts on X that expressed anti-police sentiment. In one June 2020 post, El-Sayed wrote that police "have become standing armies we deploy against our own people."
In another, he said that U.S. cities "spend WAY TOO MUCH on police departments to police poverty" and argued that "Fixing that is what the #Defund movement is about."
El-Sayed's spokesman told CNN that he "is challenging government choices that defund food, healthcare, and social services while militarizing agencies like ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] in sharp contrast to Donald Trump's presidency because real safety comes from investing in people — not in tanks and tear gas."
The controversy raises questions for Democrat primary voters in Michigan's upcoming race for U.S. Senate. El-Sayed is battling for the nomination against more moderate Democrats including state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, who have sought to distance themselves from his controversial rhetoric.
Critics contend that the deleted post reflects a tone‐and‐message problem, saying voters may reject candidates who attack law enforcement agencies in stark terms. Supporters argue that El-Sayed draws attention to systemic issues in U.S. immigration policy and enforcement.
El-Sayed, a former public health official and 2018 gubernatorial candidate, has described himself as a progressive reformer who wants to "build a government that works for you, not just corporations."
The Democrat primary for the open Michigan Senate seat is scheduled for Aug. 4, 2026.
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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