Fox News Host Condemns ‘Defiance’ of Rioters as Federal Agents Respond; DHS Blames Illinois and Chicago Democratic Leaders for Fueling Violence
Fox News host Harris Faulkner engaged in a heated on-air exchange with a Democratic contributor on Friday as federal agents were forced to respond to a riot outside a United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Broadview, a Chicago suburb.
During the exchange on “The Faulkner Focus,” Faulkner pushed back forcefully against Fox News contributor Leslie Marshall, insisting the events unfolding at the facility be called a “riot,” not a protest.
“The defiance that we’re seeing of the rioters. We won’t call them peaceful protestors at this; we will call balls and strikes for what they are,” Faulkner said to Marshall. “This is not right, Leslie. I often hear you say you don’t call for violence. Democrat lawmakers have to stand up to this today. Otherwise, they look feckless and without ideas on how to rule their own party.”
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The disturbance prompted federal agents to fire pepper balls at the rioters, according to videos posted online, leading to arrests. Some rioters were filmed calling for the arrest or shooting of ICE agents.
When Marshall began to respond, “I agree violence is never the answer, but here in Los Angeles –” Faulkner immediately interrupted, stating, “Wait a minute! Violence is not the answer, period!”
Marshall countered, claiming those protesting were concerned about “tactics that are very violent in nature” and were seeing “people that aren’t violent with criminal records and citizens and people with legal documents, work permits, legally allowed to be here.”
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a strong condemnation on social media, directly blaming Democratic leadership in Illinois for the violence.
“Illinois @GovPritzker and @ChicagosMayor Brandon Johnson’s nonstop demonization of ICE has fueled the frenzied riots at the ICE facility in Broadview, Illinois,” DHS posted on X. The department noted that “violent rioters have repeatedly attacked this ICE facility” since September 19, and that DHS and law enforcement had arrested 17 rioters on charges including obstruction and assault on a federal officer.
The riot in Broadview follows an uptick in recent incidents targeting ICE operations. Earlier this week, a shooting at an ICE office in Dallas left one person dead, with the gunman committing suicide. Previous incidents in Texas since July 4 have involved shots fired at ICE or Border Patrol facilities.
The tension comes weeks after President Donald Trump hinted at increased federal enforcement efforts in Chicago through a Truth Social post on August 25, followed by a themed meme posted on September 6.
Opposition to ICE has also been seen in recent months in other cities, including a Milwaukee judge allegedly helping an illegal immigrant evade ICE agents, the Mayor of Nashville releasing names of ICE agents, and the arrests of a Democratic mayoral candidate in New York City and a Democratic Representative in New Jersey following separate incidents involving interference with ICE operations.
READ: Trump Orders “Necessary Troops” To Portland, Oregon, Authorizes “Full Force”
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