21 Democratic AGs demand Congress end masked ICE arrests
Why it matters: It's the latest flashpoint in a growing national effort by blue-state officials to curb what they see as overreaches by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and stop tactics they argue are designed to sow fear.
It comes amid a spike in reports of ICE officers snatching people from streets, homes, workplaces and courthouses while concealing their identity and using unmarked vehicles.
State of play: In a letter to congressional leaders on Tuesday, the attorneys general called on Congress to pass legislation prohibiting federal immigration agents from hiding their faces and requiring them to display identification and agency insignia — with exceptions only in narrowly justified cases.
They argue the tactics erode public trust, create confusion with criminal kidnappings, and violate core democratic values.
What they're saying: "We have watched these detentions with alarm, as the imagery evokes comparisons to repressive tactics that have no place in a free country," the letter states.
ICE officers' "now routine practice of carrying out arrests in public spaces through masked agents who do not identify themselves as law enforcement has the effect of terrorizing communities rather than protecting them," it adds.
For the record: The letter was signed by attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
17 minutes ago
- Fox News
Epstein's former lawyer: Ghislaine Maxwell should get immunity in exchange for secrets
This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988. Jeffrey Epstein's former lawyer has suggested that the sex-trafficking financier's only convicted accomplice should be granted immunity from further prosecution in exchange for coming clean in front of Congress. Ghislaine Maxwell, 63, is the only associate held criminally or civilly liable in connection with the allegations against Epstein. In 2016, she sat for a deposition in a civil lawsuit, in which she denied recollection of nearly two dozen flights on Epstein's private jet with an underage Virginia Giuffre, who would go on to become the trafficking duo's most outspoken accuser. Epstein's flight logs showed Giuffre and Maxwell on the plane at the same time 23 times before she turned 18, Fox News Digital reported previously. Giuffre died of suicide earlier this year. "[Maxwell] knows everything," Alan Dershowitz, a former attorney for Epstein, told Fox News' Shannon Bream on "Fox News Sunday." "She is the Rosetta Stone." An unidentified friend of Maxwell's said in a recent interview with the Daily Mail that she would be open to testifying before Congress. Maxwell's attorney declined to confirm or deny the reporting. "If she were just given use immunity, she could be compelled to testify," Dershowitz said. "I'm told that she actually would be willing to testify, and there'd be no reason for her to withhold any information. So I don't see any negative in giving her the kind of use immunity that would compel her to testify. So she ought to be summoned in front of a congressional committee." The comments come days after federal authorities said they would ask a federal judge to unseal secret grand jury materials in an attempt to shed more light on Epstein's criminal enterprise. Dershowitz, however, warned that most of the material of interest to the public is not in the grand jury materials, but in sealed court documents, some of which he has already seen. He cautioned, however, that not all the allegations leveled at people in Epstein's orbit would be credible. "As long as there's nothing redacted about the accuser's lack of credibility, then the public has the right to make its own decision," he said. "Just because somebody's name is mentioned doesn't really mean very much." Under federal law, use of immunity is a legal protection that prevents a witness' testimony or any evidence drawn from it from being used to prosecute them criminally, so long as they tell the truth. In 2021, more than two years after Epstein's death in custody while awaiting his own trial, Maxwell was convicted of helping him traffic teen girls. She received a 20-year sentence and has appealed her case to the U.S. Supreme Court. "She arranged every single trip with everybody," Dershowitz said. "She knows everything."
Fox News
23 minutes ago
- Fox News
James Carville rips Democrats for lack of unity, warns party is ‘steamrolling' toward a civil war
Print Close By Rachel del Guidice Published July 21, 2025 Democratic strategist James Carville ripped Democrats for their lack of unity and warned that the party is "steamrolling toward a civilized civil war" in a new essay. "Constipated. Leaderless. Confused. A cracked-out clown car. Divided," Carville wrote in a Monday guest essay published in The New York Times. "These are the words I hear my fellow Democrats using to describe our party as of late. The truth is they're not wrong: The Democratic Party is in shambles." Carville said that New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani's win in the city's primary "represents an undeniable fissure in our political soul." CARVILLE CALLS SOCIALIST'S VICTORY IN NYC MAYORAL PRIMARY A 'POTENTIALLY DAMAGING EVENT' FOR DEMOCRATIC PARTY He pointed to Mamdani's economic policies, which include government-run grocery stores and plans to tax the top 1% of New Yorkers, admitting that he is concerned that they will actually be able to be executed. "We are divided along generational lines: Candidates like Mr. Mamdani are impatient for an economic future that folks my age are skeptical can actually be delivered," Carville said. "We are divided along ideological lines," he added. "A party that is historically allegiant to the state of Israel is at odds with a growing faction that will not look past the abuses in Palestine. From Medicare for All purists to Affordable Care Act reformists, the list goes on and on." He said that Democrats must "demand" a repeal of President Donald Trump 's cuts to Medicaid in the 47th president's "big, beautiful bill." CARVILLE SHREDS DEM STATE CHAIR, TELLS PROGRESSIVES TO START THEIR OWN 'PRONOUN' PARTY The legislation requires able-bodied adults without children to work 80 hours a month, amounting to 20 hours each week, in order to receive Medicaid benefits. He also said that Democrats must "demand a repeal to end the endless wars, because the bill boosts military spending to $1 trillion for the very first time," as well as saying Democrats should "demand a repeal" for "students who are losing loan protections, or who may no longer be eligible for Pell Grants." Democrats must also "demand a repeal" of the cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Carville said. Trump's "big, beautiful bill" includes work requirements for able-bodied adults between the ages of 18 and 64 years old, and for parents with children who are over 7 years old. "We've never had a simpler, more unifying oppositional message," Carville said. "Soon it will no longer be possible to avoid a brawl between the factions ignited back in the 2016 Democratic presidential primary. But for now, whether you're the progressive Mr. Mamdani, the centrist former Rep. Abigail Spanberger running for the Virginia governorship or even Elon Musk, we can all agree on one thing: We demand a repeal. Onward to the midterms." CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Print Close URL
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Who is running for Central Kentucky's 6th District Congressional seat? See the list
Rep. Andy Barr has been a steady presence in his 12-plus years as congressman for the Central Kentucky-based 6th Congressional District. Now, as he eyes winning a seat in the U.S. Senate in 2026, the primaries to replace him are becoming the most crowded of any in recent Kentucky history. Three candidates on each side of the aisle have signed up to run for Barr's seat, which is seen as leaning Republican but within reach for Democrats. Among them are two current state representatives, a former state representative, a former Lexington councilperson and a former state senator. All have some amount of name ID and all have shown some ability to fundraise. So far, their messages on the issues have been similar. The Republicans have hewn closely to President Donald Trump, and the Democrats have largely decried the president's actions. The 6th Congressional District is anchored by Fayette County, which makes up about 44% of its population. The county's centrality is a part of the reason why, with Barr gone, some Democrats think they could flip the district blue for the first time since 2012. Fayette County has reliably voted Democrat in most recent elections. The other counties in the 6th Congressional District, in order of population, are: Madison, Scott, Jessamine, Montgomery, Woodford, Mercer, Bourbon, Garrard, Fleming, Estill, Powell and Nicholas. Aside from Fayette, the other counties in the district generally lean Republican. Here's who is running for the 6th Congressional District seat: Deanna Gordon, Richmond Republican A four-term state representative whose district covers much of the growing Madison County community, Gordon threw her hat in the ring in early July. She called herself a 'true Trump MAGA voice' in her announcement, emphasizing her support for job growth and her opposition to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and 'transgender ideology.' An audiologist by trade, Gordon helped build Bluegrass Hearing, a company that grew to become the largest of its kind in the state. She sold in 2018. Gordon, 55, has focused her early messaging on her small business background, saying she would serve the 'working class, not the Wall Street elite.' Gordon's entry into Kentucky politics started with a bang. She defeated C. Wesley Morgan, a controversial politician who ruffled feathers within the party ranks, in a GOP primary contest in 2018 and survived a tight challenge — winning by just 24 votes — in the general election against Morgan Eaves, who is now the executive director of the Kentucky Democratic Party. Since gaining office, Gordon has kept a relatively low profile in the General Assembly, serving on various committees and paying close attention to local issues like the disarmament process at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Madison County. Cherlynn Stevenson, Lexington Democrat Former state Rep. Cherlynn Stevenson was the first of three Democrats to jump in the race for the 6th Congressional District. Stevenson, 48, of Lexington, has staked her candidacy on knowing how to win a Republican-leaning district. She served in one of the few politically 'purple' districts in the state, winning tight election after tight election, before losing to Vanessa Grossl, R-Georgetown, by a narrow margin in 2024. Before being unseated, Stevenson was seen as a likely candidate to become the top Democrat in the state House. Stevenson has secured the endorsements of several key Central Kentucky Democrats, most notably Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman. The list also includes Fayette County Attorney Angela Evans, state Sen. Reggie Thomas and several of her former colleagues in the state House. She has been sharply critical of Trump's economic policies in her campaign and believes that a backlash to those decisions will help Democrats in the general election. 'You know, we see tariffs that are hurting our local economies and threatening a lot of jobs. We see people that are worried that the Social Security benefits aren't going to be there, that Medicaid and Medicare are in danger,' Stevenson said. Stevenson led the Democrats in fundraising as of June 30 with about $168,000 on hand. Ralph Alvarado, Winchester Republican Ralph Alvarado is the latest Republican to have thrown his hat into the ring for the 6th Congressional District. The former state senator from Winchester, a doctor by trade, was a mainstay in Kentucky politics before he took a role leading the Tennessee Department of Health in 2023. Alvarado's political career began with a history-making win in 2014 when he became the first Hispanic member of the Kentucky General Assembly. He got a big boost later when he was the only Hispanic person to speak at the Republican National Convention in 2016, the year Trump first assumed office, and then was tapped as former Gov. Matt Bevin's running mate in 2019. Though Bevin lost, Alvarado, 55, remained in the General Assembly, chairing his Senate Health & Welfare Committee before taking the role in Tennessee. In his announcement for office, Alvarado pitched himself as a 'reinforcement' for Trump in Congress who would prioritize border security. 'Kentuckians are fed up with open borders, sky-high prices, and unelected bureaucrats who trample our freedoms. I'm running for Congress to fight for working families, stop the invasion at our southern border once and for all, and fight the woke agenda,' Alvarado said. David Kloiber, Lexington Democrat Also running with strong political ties in Lexington is former city Councilman David Kloiber. Kloiber has emphasized the importance of increasing access to affordable housing, alleviating high costs of health care, creating jobs and providing quality public education in his run. He's also struck a somewhat less Trump-oriented message than his Democratic peers. 'All politics is local,' Kloiber said. 'And too often we get caught up in national things that might not even impact us.' The former councilman runs the Kloiber Foundation, a nonprofit providing students and teachers in Fayette County Public Schools and surrounding counties with necessary technology. Kloiber also helps manage his family trust, which is likely worth more than $1 billion, according to a Herald-Leader story from the 2022 campaign. His father put $310 million in the trust in 2008, funds earned from his share of the sale of a Lexington company. Kloiber ran unsuccessfully against Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton in 2022. As of June 30, Kloiber was not far behind Stevenson in the fundraising race. He had $135,000 at that time, thanks in large part to personal loans he has given his campaign. Ryan Dotson, Winchester Republican Rep. Ryan Dotson, R-Winchester, has tried to establish himself as the furthest right of any in the race. 'The people, especially true conservatives, are tired of politics as usual. They're looking for a candidate who's real, who's not a career politician,' Dotson said. 'Everybody that comes into this race will be to my left, and people will know that.' The first to enter the race, Dotson had been hinting at his interest for some time before Barr announced his intentions to seek the U.S. Senate seat. He has held his statehouse seat representing Clark County and a portion of South Fayette County since 2021 Dotson, 52, is a businessman and pastor. His church is in Winchester, and he's owned franchise restaurants as well as local businesses. In the General Assembly, Dotson helped lead the fight in 2022 for a bill to ban transgender women from women's sports at public schools and universities, overcoming Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear's veto. Two years later, he successfully sponsored a bill that struck down local ordinances in Lexington and Louisville that protected the right of tenants to use federal low-income housing vouchers, such as Section 8 vouchers. Again, his bill overcame a veto from Beshear. As of June 30, Dotson had $94,198. The majority of the money he raised came via loans from his own pocketbook. Zach Dembo, Lexington Democrat Zach Dembo is a former federal prosecutor and U.S. Navy veteran running as a Democrat for the 6th Congressional District. Like his Democratic competitors, Dembo is focusing the early days of his campaign on jobs, pushing back on the cuts to Medicaid that were recently enacted, and doing more to strengthen the economy and help cost of living issues in Central Kentucky. Dembo, 39, has pitched his public service background as the distinguishing factor in the Democratic primary. In addition to his service to the federal government, he also worked in Beshear's office during the governor's first time. He said he left his role as a federal prosecutor over dissatisfaction with how the Department of Justice was operating under Trump. 'I resigned because I couldn't in good principle serve in this administration, with the corruption and with them playing politics with the department and the justice system,' Dembo said. Dembo has not held elected office, unlike the other five candidates running. He is a Lexington native who has lived in the area since early 2020.
