Ben Shapiro says Democrats forcing ICE to do bigger raids for political gains against Trump

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA: Conservative firebrand Ben Shapiro has blamed Democrats for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents broadening their raids. 

Unlike other commentators, Shapiro isn't blaming the administration of former President Joe Biden.

Instead, in a segment on his podcast, Shapiro slammed the current blue-state obstructionists for refusing to hand over dangerous felons.

According to him, it's a calculated Democrat ploy to paint President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown as tyranny.

Public support tilts toward targeting criminals

Shapiro pointed to fresh polling data showing overwhelming approval for deporting criminal illegal immigrants.

"Americans are pretty evenly split on whether they want to see criminal illegal immigrants targeted only or whether they want to see broader sweeps," Shapiro said.

"Targeting criminal illegal immigrants is the thing that most Americans approve, which is why, of course, Democrats are trying to necessitate that ICE and Border Patrol go after illegal immigration more broadly."

"60% of Americans say Democrats are encouraging resistance to ICE, and 57% of Americans oppose them doing that," Shapiro noted.

Shapiro accuses Dems of creating chaos to undermine Trump

Shapiro accused Democrats of deliberately engineering confrontations to damage Trump's most popular issue.

In Minneapolis, Trump's border czar Tom Homan offered the Democratic leadership a straightforward deal to cooperate on criminals and avoid widespread federal sweeps. 

"Tom Homan has made an offer to Minneapolis saying, 'Give us your criminals,'" Shapiro explained. "Targeting criminal illegal immigrants in the United States is an 80/20 issue with Republicans on the side of the 80 and Democrats on the side of the 20."

"So he's saying, 'Listen, we will pull troops out of this area, federal agents out of this area if you work with us,'" Shapiro said. 

But local officials shut the door. Hennepin County Sheriff's Office policy reportedly declares, "We do not assist with or comply with any civil immigration request from ICE in our jail. We do not honor administrative detainers or administrative warrants."

"Now, Democrats refuse to move along with that," he argued.

"Democrats are trying to drive the perception that the Trump administration is focused indiscriminately on everyone across the country who is an illegal immigrant. They’re trying to instill the belief in Americans that tyranny is upon us."

Shapiro inferred that, "The plan for the Democrats is to up the ante, to undermine President Trump’s popularity on his most popular issue."

He praised the administration's response. "Now, again, the Trump administration is saying, just work with us and you won't have this problem. And when they obstruct, Americans are going to side with the Republicans. That is good policy from the administration," he said.

"This is again a winning issue for Republicans and this is what they should focus on," Shapiro suggested.