Democrat Senator-elect Peggy Flanagan of Minnesota told supporters on election night that "we will rip ICE apart."
The comment came as Flanagan, now the first Native American woman elected to the Senate, claimed victory in the open seat left by retiring Democrat Tina Smith.
During her speech, Flanagan said Minnesotans had rejected what she called President Donald Trump's "masked goons shooting our neighbors and terrorizing our communities."
Flanagan continued, "We will rip ICE apart. That's right. And we have the opportunity to replace it with an immigration system that is grounded in public safety for everybody, dignity and due process."
WATCH:
Senator-elect Peggy Flanagan: "We will rip ICE apart!" pic.twitter.com/35jpyMBNxv
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 4, 2026
She also pledged to end the war in Iran, pass Medicare for All, and work against the Trump administration.
Flanagan defeated former NFL sideline reporter Michele Tafoya.
The new senator-elect had used nearly identical language after winning the Democrat primary in August against more moderate Rep. Angie Craig.
Flanagan has consistently described ICE as "out of control" and "Donald Trump's private police force," rallied against Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota, and made the deaths of anti-ICE agitators Renee Good and Alex Pretti a major part of her campaign.
In an August post on X, she wrote, "In the Senate, I'm not going to send one more penny to this lawless, out-of-control agency. Let's rip ICE apart."
Donald Trump wants to spend your taxpayer dollars separating families and building new ICE prisons.
— Peggy Flanagan (@peggyflanagan) August 4, 2026
In 2016, I voted against reopening this prison in Appleton. In the Senate, I'm not going to send one more penny to this lawless, out-of-control agency. Let's rip ICE apart. pic.twitter.com/huLVh4TQJo
Democrats secured majorities in both chambers of Congress on Tuesday.
Source link
