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Congressional Democrats reached a new low this week when Rep. Shri Thanedar leaned across the committee dais and told U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott, “You better hope you get pardoned,” during a House Homeland Security oversight hearing on February 10, 2026. That wasn’t a rhetorical flourish — it was a thinly veiled threat aimed squarely at the men and women who put their lives on the line to keep our borders and streets safe. Americans should be alarmed when elected officials trade in intimidation instead of leadership.
The exchange erupted amid questioning over the shooting deaths in Minnesota and broader oversight of ICE, CBP, and USCIS, and Thanedar didn’t stop at threats — he openly called federal agents “thugs” and reiterated his support for abolishing ICE while threatening impeachment of DHS leadership. This is not oversight; it’s political theater designed to vilify law enforcement instead of demanding accountability where it’s actually due. Working people watching these hearings see who’s playing politics and who’s protecting them.
Commissioner Scott answered with the kind of courage Americans expect from our officers, saying he signed up to protect the country and he does not need a pardon to sleep at night. Rather than thanking those who enforce our laws and protect our communities, Democrats in that hearing chose to demonize them and threaten retribution. Even the committee chair had to cut the rant short and call the session to recess — a sign that this performance crossed institutional lines.
Let’s be blunt: threats to prosecute or punish federal officers for simply doing their jobs are a direct attack on the rule of law and a recipe for chaos. When politicians publicly promise prosecutions and call for the abolition of enforcement agencies, they’re signaling to criminals that the system is soft and to officers that their backs are exposed. Conservatives will not stand idly by while career public servants are turned into political scapegoats.
Hardworking Americans deserve leaders who defend order, not demagogues who use the tragedies of the moment to stoke division and advance radical agendas. This episode should be a wake-up call: demand real oversight that protects both civil liberties and public safety, and reject the intimidation of the people who enforce our laws. If Democrats want to change policy, do it through votes and debate — not threats and public witch hunts that shred trust in government institutions.
