Tom Steyer, one of the numerous Democrats running for California Governor, may be more radical than Gavin Newsom. Earlier this month, Steyer promised to prosecute ICE agents up to and including White House aide Stephen Miller and former head of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.
The Supremacy Clause, of course, disagrees. But that doesn't seem to matter to Steyer, who is vowing to arrest ICE agents, telling The California Post to 'watch me' as they warn he won't be able to enact his tyrannical little plan
Watch me. https://t.co/SWyc7u3ysF
— Tom Steyer (@TomSteyer) May 25, 2026
There is a certain kind of politician who has learned that saying something loudly and confidently is a perfectly adequate substitute for saying something true. California’s gubernatorial race has produced a bumper crop of them.
Tom Steyer, the billionaire-liberal-donor-turned candidate, has called for abolishing ICE and jailing its agents, describing the federal law enforcement agency as a “violent extremist group.”
Former LA mayor Antonio Villaraigosa compared ICE officers to the Ku Klux Klan, and state Schools Superintendent Tony Thurmond promised to have ICE agents arrested. Former US Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra vowed to “police the immigration police.“
These are the leading candidates to become governor of the most populous state in the union.
One might ask: Can they actually do any of this? The answer, rooted not in opinion but in two centuries of constitutional law, is no.
And yet the question almost never gets asked, because the performance is the point.
Under the Supremacy Clause of Article VI of the US Constitution, and under longstanding Supreme Court precedent, states may not criminally prosecute federal officers for actions taken in the lawful course of their federal duties, provided the officer reasonably believed those actions were necessary to fulfill that duty.
This is not an obscure technicality. It is the foundational architecture of American federalism, and it has been settled law for longer than most of these candidates have been alive.
Remember when Democrats opposed kings? What happened to that?
Because it sure is king-like behavior for Steyer to think he can overrule the Supremacy Clause and federal law.
I’m tickled to hear you say that, really. I look forward to Trump imposing reconstruction on an insurrectionist California state government
— Will Chamberlain (@willchamberlain) May 25, 2026
President Trump should absolutely do that.
For posterity.
— Jim (@Ifitsthisname) May 25, 2026
And for the prosecution's evidence stack. pic.twitter.com/zGGxrj02f7
Just in case he deletes it.
“I’m going to arrest federal agents enforcing federal policy I don’t like. I also strongly believe in democracy” 🥴🥴🥴
— Jon 🔬 (@JonnyMicro) May 25, 2026
They don't believe in democracy. They believe in power.
Someone tell Tom Steyer that no matter how tough he wants to try portraying himself as, states have no jurisdiction over federal law enforcement and therefore can't arrest them.
— Leftism (@LeftismForU) May 25, 2026
They'll try.
Straight to jail if you do.
— Shipwreckedcrew (@shipwreckedcrew) May 25, 2026
You would enjoy no immunity by virtue of your office.
Such conduct violates 18 U.S.C. Sec. 111(a).
You don't get to decide what conduct is and is not within the scope of their official duties.
Same for any state law enforcement agent you might… https://t.co/zTYDG6Ul35
"Same for any state law enforcement agent you might convince to do so," the user wrote. Of course, that's what will happen. Steyer will order state law enforcement to do this, and they'll be the ones who get arrested. Democrats want other people to put their bodies on the line for Democratic Party causes.
It’s like they no longer know how to stop performing. https://t.co/mHnx5QynPz
— Peter Savodnik (@petersavodnik) May 25, 2026
When you have no real policies, performance is all that's left.
Editor’s Note: Democrat politicians and their radical supporters will do everything they can to interfere with and threaten ICE agents enforcing our immigration laws.
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