As federal immigration enforcement accelerates in major U.S. cities, it should be backed by aggressive prosecution of people who interfere with ICE operations, according to former Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf on Newsmax Saturday.
"You've seen this around the country in places like Chicago and Memphis and others, with a surge of resources into cities," Wolf said on Newsmax's "Saturday Report," citing recent sweeps in New Orleans and Minneapolis as evidence the Trump administration is "doing the hard work" to remove violent offenders.
"Unfortunately, sanctuary cities are where we need to go in and where we need to remove dangerous, illegal, alien criminals," he added.
He said New Orleans has already seen "dozens, if not hundreds of arrests," adding that the enforcement push demonstrates "there are bad people here illegally that need to be removed."
The discussion came amid heightened public attention on immigration enforcement and protests that have at times turned confrontational.
Wolf said such actions complicate operations but insisted agents should not pull back.
"I don't think that ICE is backing away from this challenge at all," he said.
"All of these individuals that decide to impede law enforcement, to get in the way of ICE doing their legal job, carrying out the authorities assigned to them by Congress, there should be zero tolerance," he added.
Wolf called for arrests and prosecutions when demonstrators cross the line from protected speech into interference with police activity.
"They should arrest them. They should put them in jail. They should charge them and really go after them," he said, adding that sustained enforcement "sends a signal" and could change behavior over time by making clear "there's going to be a consequence for that."
Wolf also weighed in on efforts by some local officials to restrict ICE agents' use of masks, saying the policy debate ignores threats agents face.
He said attacks on ICE personnel have surged, with agents subjected to online harassment and exposure of personal information.
"Look, you have attacks on ICE officials up over 1,000%," Wolf said. "They're doxed online, they're harassed, their families harassed."
In that environment, he said, protective measures are warranted. "They need to continue to wear the mask, they need to protect themselves, it's a dangerous job to begin with."
He criticized elected leaders who focus on limiting law enforcement rather than addressing what he described as criminal offenders and violent protesters.
"The first thing they can do is introduce legislation that addresses law enforcement," Wolf said.
"What they should be focusing on are the dangerous criminals, illegal aliens, dangerous protesters, those that are using violent protesting to achieve their aims," Wolf added.
Wolf also dismissed claims by a Democratic lawmaker in Tucson, Arizona, that she was pepper-sprayed by ICE agents, calling the incident political theater.
"I think when members go out and do these types of things, it's for one thing and one thing only, and that's for clicks," he said.
Wolf said the video did not support the allegation, adding that any use of crowd-control measures occurred in the context of lawful dispersal orders.
"Those are lawful commands," he said, and anyone who refuses to comply should face consequences. "They should be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent."
Wolf closed by urging early, forceful responses to prevent escalation.
"You've got to make an example out of these individuals so that others know, like it's not going to slide," he said, warning that failure to enforce laws encourages repeat incidents.
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