JD Vance blames LA and Minneapolis for immigration chaos: 'They want to put law enforcement at risk'

WASHINGTON, DC: Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday, February 17, said that local leaders in cities like Los Angeles and Minneapolis are causing "chaos" by trying to stop federal immigration officers. He believes these officials care more about open borders than about the safety of law enforcement.

During a wide-ranging interview on ‘The Story’ with Martha MacCallum, Vance made it clear that the government will continue to deport illegal immigrants and secure the border because that is the mandate the American people voted for.

JD Vance slams local leaders over immigration chaos

Vance addressed the tense videos of immigration arrests seen in Minnesota and other areas, saying that the trouble only occurs when local cities refuse to help.

He explained that most deportations are quiet and professional, but local politicians are deliberately making things difficult to help their own political side.

"In 99% of cases, you have a federal law enforcement officer, they show up at a jail or they show up somewhere else, they identify a person who needs to be deported and then get him out of our country," Vance said.

"That's how it should work, Where you have that chaos in Los Angeles, in Minneapolis, it's because the local authorities are so committed to an open border that they want to put law enforcement at risk."

JD Vance pledges continued border enforcement crackdown

Vance promised that the administration would not back down just because some cities are pushing back. He said the government would be "smart" to avoid the scenes that the media often shows.

"We're not going to surrender to that, we're not going to submit to that, we're going to be deliberate, We're going to be smart," he told Martha MacCallum.

He insisted that the administration is simply doing what it was elected to do by the voters. "We're going to try to prevent these chaotic scenes that, of course, the Democrats use to political advantage. But we're going to keep on enforcing the border, Martha, that's the mandate the American people gave us."

JD Vance discusses Iran talks, midterms, AOC criticism

During the wide-ranging interview, Vance also addressed international issues. He discussed the nuclear talks in Geneva, noting that while there has been some progress, Iran still has not agreed to the "red lines" set by the president.

Vance also spoke about the 2026 midterm elections, saying he is focused on doing his job rather than engaging in political speculation about his future.

He also took a shot at Democrats like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, criticizing her appearance at the Munich Security Conference and calling one of her interviews the "most uncomfortable 20 seconds of television" he had ever seen.