House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) confronted criticism after he defended the sporting of masks by Immigration and Customs Enforcement brokers throughout immigration raids.
Johnson was requested on Fox News to answer considerations from Democrats who say ICE brokers shouldn’t conceal their identities whereas conducting arrests as a part of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
“From the people who mandated mask-wearing for years in America, it’s absurd,” Johnson fired again, referencing the face-covering measures that have been initially adopted with bipartisan assist throughout the early months of the coronavirus pandemic, although Democrats continued to encourage them for an extended interval.
“They need to back off of ICE and respect our agents and stop protesting against them,” he added, arguing that brokers can be doxed in the event that they have been capable of be recognized.
Critics identified the irony of Johnson’s acceptance of brokers sporting masks, given his historical past of opposing masks mandates for medical causes, and recommended he had conjured up an excessive instance of false equivalence.
Agents ought to be capable of be held accountable, they argued.
Johnson was additionally criticized over the weekend for dismissing considerations about Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s speak of active-duty Marines being despatched to deal with protests in opposition to immigration enforcement in Los Angeles.
“I don’t think that’s heavy-handed,” Johnson mentioned.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mike-johnson-ice-agents_n_6846960ee4b07d5e027bfd44