Jeh Johnson: ICE Cooperation Spanberger Killed Is Generally Good, You Need Partnerships to Get Worst of the Worst

February 5, 2026
10:46 pm

▶

Listen to Article

In a stunning pivot that has the border security debate doing a double-take, former DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson—yes, the Obama-era appointee who oversaw everything from DACA to mass deportations—went on MSNBC's The Briefing and dropped a truth bomb: ICE's 287(g) partnerships with local law enforcement, like the one Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) just axed in Prince William County, are in general, a good idea for public safety. Johnson didn't mince words, emphasizing that these agreements empower sheriffs and cops to identify and hand off criminal illegal aliens to ICE, nabbing the worst of the worst before they can wreak more havoc. Spanberger's move? A politically motivated gutting of a program that's been deporting gang members, drug traffickers, and violent offenders since 1996 under the 287(g) banner, named after the Immigration and Nationality Act section that makes it all legal. This isn't just bureaucratic wonkery—it's a flashing red light for the 2A community. Think about it: these partnerships have led to over 500,000 deportations of criminal non-citizens since inception, per ICE data, including hordes of cartel operatives and gangbangers who don't respect borders or Second Amendment sanctuaries. When local cops can't flag these threats via 287(g), unvetted felons flood communities, turning gun-free zones into actual free-fire zones for smugglers packing heat. Johnson's nod underscores what pro-2A folks have screamed for years: sanctuary policies like Spanberger's don't just harbor rapists and murderers (as DHS stats confirm 13,000+ such convictions among ICE detainees last year); they erode the partnerships that let armed citizens and LEOs keep the peace. Without them, expect more Kyle Rittenhouse scenarios—self-defense against imported chaos—because when feds fail, the right to bear arms becomes the last line. The implications? A bipartisan whisper that even deep-state Dems see the value in deputizing locals against invasion-level crime, potentially cracking open doors for 2A advocates to push red-state expansions of 287(g). If Johnson can admit it on MSNBC, imagine the momentum if Trump 2.0 supercharges these pacts nationwide. Spanberger's folly isn't just bad policy; it's a gift to gun rights warriors, proving that defunding ICE collaborations arms criminals while disarming the rule of law. Time to amplify this and demand every sheriff sign on—public safety demands it, and so does the Constitution.

Best FFL Software Ranked and Compared!

This isn’t just bureaucratic wonkery—it’s a flashing red light for the 2A community. Think about it: these partnerships have led to over 500,000 deportations of criminal non-citizens since inception, per ICE data, including hordes of cartel operatives and gangbangers who don’t respect borders or Second Amendment sanctuaries. When local cops can’t flag these threats via 287(g), unvetted felons flood communities, turning gun-free zones into actual free-fire zones for smugglers packing heat. Johnson’s nod underscores what pro-2A folks have screamed for years: sanctuary policies like Spanberger’s don’t just harbor rapists and murderers (as DHS stats confirm 13,000+ such convictions among ICE detainees last year); they erode the partnerships that let armed citizens and LEOs keep the peace. Without them, expect more Kyle Rittenhouse scenarios—self-defense against imported chaos—because when feds fail, the right to bear arms becomes the last line.

The implications? A bipartisan whisper that even deep-state Dems see the value in deputizing locals against invasion-level crime, potentially cracking open doors for 2A advocates to push red-state expansions of 287(g). If Johnson can admit it on MSNBC, imagine the momentum if Trump 2.0 supercharges these pacts nationwide. Spanberger’s folly isn’t just bad policy; it’s a gift to gun rights warriors, proving that defunding ICE collaborations arms criminals while disarming the rule of law. Time to amplify this and demand every sheriff sign on—public safety demands it, and so does the Constitution.

Share this story