By Gloria Ogbonna
Rep. Daniel Goldman (D-NY) sharply criticized the Department of Homeland Security’s characterization of a fatal shooting involving an ICE agent in Minneapolis, arguing that the incident would not meet the definition of “domestic terrorism” even under the most extreme interpretation of events.
His remarks came after federal officials described the confrontation as a terrorist act following the death of a woman who was allegedly driving her vehicle toward an ICE officer during an encounter on Wednesday morning.
According to reports, the ICE agent fatally shot the woman after authorities said she attempted to strike him with her car. In the immediate aftermath, Homeland Security officials condemned the driver’s actions, stating that she was trying to run over law enforcement officers with the intent to kill them.
DHS labeled the incident “an act of domestic terrorism,” a position echoed by Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Adviser Stephen Miller, who publicly used the same term to describe the confrontation.
Goldman forcefully rejected that framing. Responding directly to Miller on social media, the New York congressman wrote that even if the officer had been run over, the incident would still not qualify as domestic terrorism.
Goldman argued that the term was being improperly applied and suggested that its use in this case dangerously blurred the legal and moral lines surrounding political violence and criminal acts.
In a further escalation, Goldman accused Miller of stoking violence through his rhetoric. In a subsequent post, he charged that such language was “inciting untrained thugs to murder Americans,” signaling deep concern that labeling the incident as terrorism could inflame tensions and encourage vigilantism or excessive force under the guise of national security.
The controversy unfolded amid heightened national debate over immigration enforcement and protests targeting ICE operations.
Breitbart News noted that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) held a press conference later Wednesday in which he suggested that protesting ICE has become, in his words, “a patriotic duty at this point in time.”
That comment added fuel to an already volatile discussion, as critics argue that such statements risk legitimizing confrontations with federal law enforcement, while supporters contend they reflect growing public opposition to current immigration policies.
Together, the shooting, the terrorism designation, and the sharp political reactions from both federal and state leaders have intensified scrutiny of how the term “domestic terrorism” is used and raised broader questions about protest, law enforcement authority, and the escalating rhetoric surrounding immigration enforcement in the United States.
Source Breitbrat
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