Beshear responds to ICE after online back and forth. ‘ICE can act tough’
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Beshear urges ICE retraining and leadership change after public exchange.
- He says he was exercising First Amendment rights and urged ICE to heed the Constitution.
- Tensions rise amid nationwide enforcement actions and recent fatal shootings.
Gov. Andy Beshear on Thursday responded to ICE officials who took aim at his recent comments about immigration enforcement.
The dispute began Monday when Beshear said during an appearance on “The View” that ICE needs a complete reform and needs to withdraw from U.S. cities.
The federal agency responded on X: “We’ll continue to ‘withdraw’ criminal aliens from Kentucky regardless of your rhetoric, Governor.”
On Thursday, during his weekly Team Kentucky news conference, Beshear was asked about ICE’s post. He doubled down on his stance that agents needed to be retrained and leadership needed to be changed, while recommending the agency to read the U.S. Constitution.
“ICE can act tough,” Beshear said during the new conference. “All I was doing was exercising my First Amendment rights. That’s within the constitution, and I suggest that ICE reads it.”
Beshear’s comments come as federal agents have had an increased presence across the U.S., including in Minneapolis, where agents fatally shot two U.S. citizens in January during immigration enforcement operations.
After the second shooting, which killed ICU nurse Alex Pretti on Jan. 24, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Pretti committed an “act of domestic terrorism.”
Beshear, who has long been considered a possible candidate for the Democratic nomination for president in 2028, previously said Noem’s comments were irresponsible and concerning. He also said ICE agents are unlawfully conducting their operations.
“They believe they can march into an American’s home without a judicial warrant. They can’t. That’s a violation of whoever’s rights that they’re treading on,” Beshear said Thursday. “And now, there is an American body count to the way they’re going about their work.”
This story was originally published February 13, 2026 at 7:57 AM.
