NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 6: An ICE agent monitors hundreds of asylum seekers being processed upon entering the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building on June 6, 2023 in New York City. New York City has provided sanctuary to over 46,000 asylum seekers since 2013, when the city passed a law prohibiting city agencies from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement agencies unless there is a warrant for the person's arrest.(Photo by David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)
San Diego, California – A San Diego city councilmember is drawing national attention after labeling federal immigration agents “Terrorists” in a social media post that has reignited debate over the role of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in local communities.
Sean Elo-Rivera, a Democrat representing San Diego’s 9th District, posted a photo of ICE agents in tactical gear on Instagram this week with the word “Terrorists” written prominently across the image. In the caption, he condemned the presence of heavily armed federal agents operating in residential neighborhoods.
“Look at this photo. This isn’t a war zone—it’s a neighborhood in our city,” Elo-Rivera wrote. “In San Diego, they’ve targeted parents dropping off their kids at school, people following the law inside courthouses, and workers just doing their jobs at local restaurants. This isn’t safety. It’s state-sponsored terrorism. And anyone who cares about freedom—and true safety—should be fighting back.”
ICE has not responded publicly to the post, though a spokesperson said that “elected officials comparing ICE law enforcement agents to terrorists is SICKENING.” The Department of Homeland Security has stated that ICE agents are facing a 413 percent increase in assaults.
The post has sparked outrage from Trump administration officials. Stephen Miller, a key architect of Trump-era immigration policies and current White House deputy chief of staff for policy, posted on X: “We are living in the age of left-wing domestic terrorism. They are openly encouraging violence against law enforcement to aid and abet the invasion of America.”
Elo-Rivera responded bluntly, calling Miller “one of the most dishonest and worst people in America,” and added, “Nothing makes me more confident in my position than knowing he hates it.”
The clash comes amid broader concerns over the expansion of ICE’s authority under the Trump administration, including its power to conduct raids in sensitive locations such as schools and hospitals. Supporters of these policies view ICE as essential to upholding immigration law. Critics argue the agency has evolved into a tool of fear and intimidation, particularly in immigrant-heavy regions like San Diego.
