A leading Homeland Security official warned North Carolina’s Democratic governor on Tuesday to refrain from spouting “lies” against Immigration and Customs Enforcement, warning it is provoking violence against federal law enforcement carrying out operations in the state.
The warning to Gov. Josh Stein (D-NC) was issued by Gregory Bovino, the Border Patrol’s chief of the El Centro, California, region and commander of ICE operations in Los Angeles and Chicago, who is also leading ICE’s efforts to arrest illegal immigrants in Charlotte and other North Carolina cities. It comes as ICE faces a 1,300% increase in vehicular attacks, and CBP faces a 58% increase, according to DHS.
Bovino posted a video of a woman waving around a screwdriver and threatening to stab any federal officers who pull her over “in your neck, b****.” The CBP chief alleged that Stein is responsible for stirring up such incidents due to the governor’s public criticism of federal agents.
“Governor Stein, you caused this. Let me say this again, Governor. When you spout lies about a lawful law enforcement operation, you spark something in weaker-minded people like this who may act upon your directions. You need to check yourself,” Bovino wrote.
His words came after Stein told residents on Monday to “record and report” immigration operations “if they see something wrong.” He also urged them to “remain peaceful” and to “keep each other safe.”
“Once again, I call on federal agents to target violent criminals, not neighbors walking down the street, going to church, or putting up Christmas decorations. Stop targeting people simply going about their lives because of the color of their skin, as you are doing in Charlotte,” Stein said.
Stein had stronger words for CBP the previous day.
“Everyone wants to be safe in their communities, but the actions of too many federal agents are doing the exact opposite. In Charlotte, we’ve seen masked, heavily armed agents and paramilitary garb driving unmarked cars targeting American citizens based on their skin color, racially profiling and picking up random people in parking lots and off of our sidewalks, going after landscapers, simply decorating a Christmas tree in someone’s front yard and entering churches and stores to grab people,” the governor said. “This is not making us safer, it’s stoking fear and dividing our community.”
In the same video message, Stein reiterated admonitions for the public to “please stay peaceful” and “keep each other safe.” And he urged the Trump administration to “hold accountable and deport anyone who has committed a serious crime, asking the CBP to keep its focus on “violent criminals in Charlotte who are undocumented.”
“We want them out, too,” the governor said.
WHY ICE AND BORDER PATROL ARE FIGHTING OVER WHICH SHOULD ARREST ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
Bovino has argued he is focused on targeting those with criminal histories, pushed back against characterizations that agents are often migrants with no record. Those his team is arresting in North Carolina include a “very large percentage of criminal illegal immigrants,” he said during a Fox News interview this week, adding that 66% have significant criminal and or immigration histories.”
“Too many times we’re finding that some very, very disreputable individuals are seeking work in people’s homes and in their gardens, and otherwise. We don’t want those people in society,” the CBP chief added during another recent interview.
