Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) is drawing sharp lines between himself and the far-left flank of his party, publicly defending Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and condemning calls from fellow Democrats to abolish the agency.
In a video statement and follow-up posts on social media, Fetterman made clear that he stands with law enforcement officers tasked with enforcing immigration laws. “ICE agents are just doing their job, and I fully support that,” Fetterman said. “People in my party might want to abolish it or treat them as criminals — that’s just inappropriate and outrageous. ICE performs an important job for our nation.”
The Pennsylvania Democrat reiterated the message on X, writing: “Any calls to abolish ICE are [100%] inappropriate and outrageous.”
ICE performs an important job for our country.
Any calls to abolish ICE are ? inappropriate and outrageous.
— U.S. Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) July 10, 2025
His comments represent a direct rebuke to the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. Figures like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) have long pushed to dismantle ICE, calling it a “rogue agency” in recent fundraising messages.
But even as Fetterman stood firm behind ICE, he didn’t fully abandon the broader Democratic immigration agenda. Just hours after backing ICE, the senator said he supports mass amnesty for illegal aliens already in the country — as long as they’re “otherwise law-abiding.”
“Absolutely support amnesty for the hardworking, otherwise law-abiding migrant workers,” Fetterman posted. “Round up and deport the criminals. We must acknowledge the critical contribution migrants make to our nation’s economy.”
His comments come amid a troubling wave of hostility toward federal immigration officers. This week, a gunman opened fire on Border Patrol agents in McAllen, Texas, in what law enforcement called a “purposeful ambush.” Two officers were wounded in the attack.
Elsewhere, anti-ICE radicals have stepped up efforts to obstruct agents. Four individuals were arrested in Los Angeles after allegedly laying down homemade road spikes to disable law enforcement vehicles during ICE operations.
Tensions on the issue have even boiled over in Congress. An anonymous Democrat recently made headlines for reportedly saying, “There needs to be blood to grab the attention of the press and the public” in the fight against ICE.
Fetterman’s firm defense of ICE stands in sharp contrast to that rhetoric — and may signal a broader divide within the Democratic Party over how far to go on immigration policy as public frustration with illegal immigration continues to grow.