A Democrat congressman running for California governor has vowed to strip federal immigration agents of their driving licenses if elected.
Rep. Eric Swalwell made the remarks on Saturday afternoon during a summit in Los Angeles hosted by the Empowerment Congress, as he took a firmly anti-ICE stance in the wake of the shooting of protester Renee Nicole Good.
Asked from the stage how he would ‘protect’ Californians from ICE, Swalwell did not mince words.
‘They’re going to lose their immunity, they’re not gonna be able to drive. I will take your driver’s license,’ he said.
As the remark drew laughter from the crowd, Swalwell added: ‘Good luck walking to work, a**holes.’
Swalwell went further, promising an aggressive stance against ICE agents operating in the state, particularly those who wear masks during enforcement actions.
‘I will direct law enforcement to use every power to prosecute them for battery, false imprisonment, and murder,’ he said.
‘And you know over the last 10 years, I worked on the Russia investigation with Adam Schiff. You know me, I’m not shy. I’m not naive about who he is,’ Swalwell went on, referring to President Trump.
‘There’s only one side of the ball to be on, on behalf of Californians when it comes to ICE,’ Swalwell added. ‘And it’s offense.’
Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell running to succeed Gavin Newsom as California’s next governor said he would revoke driver’s licenses from ICE agents who wear masks if elected governor
The gubernatorial hopeful took a firmly anti-ICE stance as protests against Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement swept the nation
The congressman cited his past work with Sen. Adam Schiff in investigating claims Trump colluded with Russia during the 2016 election as evidence that he is willing to confront powerful institutions head-on.
Swalwell served as a leading Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee. He is now ramping up his campaign to succeed Governor Gavin Newsom when California voters head to the polls later this year.
According to a poll last week from the Independent Voter Project, Swalwell sits in third place in a crowded field, behind Republicans Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco.
Swalwell’s rhetoric reflects a broader escalation among Democrats who have sharply intensified attacks on ICE, in particular following Good’s shooting on January 7 in Minneapolis.
According to The Hill, Swalwell is working with New York Rep. Dan Goldman to introduce legislation that would strip ICE agents of qualified immunity, a legal shield that often protects government officials from civil liability.
‘Trump’s ICE thugs inflict cruelty on our communities every day. Enough,’ Swalwell wrote on Facebook earlier this week. ‘I’m fighting to end impunity for ICE and hold them accountable for their actions.’
Critics were quick to seize on Swalwell’s words, brushing them off as little more than grandstanding.
‘Lol, I live here and he has 0% chance… if not less,’ wrote one user on X.
‘What a stupid, stupid thing for Eric to say,’ added another.
‘If he thinks he has the authority to revoke federal officers drivers licenses he is dumber than I thought,’ stated a third.
Swalwell’s comments come amid heightened scrutiny of ICE following the shooting death of Renee Good during an encounter involving immigration agents
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Fugitive Operations Team members are seen during a raid in Los Angeles. When ICE were in LA, agents picked up people who had already been deported or who are criminal aliens
Protesters carry a large sign reading ‘ICE out of SD’, near San Diego’s Edward J. Schwartz Federal Building during a protest against ICE in downtown San Diego, California earlier this month
‘It’s open hostility to federal law enforcement and a blueprint for state-level retaliation politics. A governor can’t nullify federal authority. But he can sure make California even less safe by prioritizing illegal immigrants over the people trying to enforce the law,’ tweeted another critic.
Swalwell’s comments come in the aftermath of the shooting death of Renee Good in Minneapolis earlier this month during an encounter involving immigration agents.
The case has inflamed tensions and fueled calls from Democrats to rein in or dismantle ICE altogether.
Across the country, anti-ICE protests have erupted, with Democratic lawmakers increasingly framing the agency as an occupying force rather than a law enforcement body.
Swalwell’s comments come in the aftermath of the shooting death of Renee Good in Minneapolis earlier this month during an encounter involving immigration agents
Swalwell’s hardline posture on immigration arrives as his own political future is clouded by legal trouble. The 45-year-old congressman is facing a federal criminal referral related to alleged mortgage and tax fraud.
Swalwell’s hardline posture on immigration arrives as his own political future is clouded by legal trouble.
The 45-year-old congressman is facing a federal criminal referral related to alleged mortgage and tax fraud.
In a statement following news of the referral, Swalwell has said he appropriately filed paperwork over a home he shares with his wife, and vowed that the investigation would not silence him.
He said he would ‘not stop speaking out against the president and speaking up for Californians,’ and indicated he would continue pursuing his legal claims.
Under California law, gubernatorial candidates cannot hold office if convicted of certain felonies, including bribery, embezzlement of public money, extortion, theft of public funds, perjury, or conspiracy to commit those crimes, according to guidance from the California secretary of state.
No charges have been filed to date.