MSNBC political analyst Joan Walsh called the head of a federal law enforcement agency a leader of a "violent gang" on Twitter Thursday.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) acting director Thomas Homan spoke to reporters in the White House briefing room Thursday. Walsh was not happy, and vented on Twitter.
Wow, the head of a violent gang is taking the podium at the White House. The head of ICE. Ask good questions please, WH press corps
— Joan Walsh (@joanwalsh) July 27, 2017
When challenged by others, Walsh stood by her statement
They are brutalizing undocumented immigrants and dividing families. Proud of what I said.
— Joan Walsh (@joanwalsh) July 27, 2017
They are the deadliest gang.
— Joan Walsh (@joanwalsh) July 27, 2017
ICE is charged with enforcing immigration law in the United States. The majority of those removed by ICE in 2016 were previously convicted of a criminal offense; over 2,000 were members of actual gangs.
Walsh's hot take comes two days after the Washington Post published audio of the last living moments of ICE agent Jaime Zapata. In 2011, Zapata was killed in an ambush by actual gang members south of the Mexican border.