ICE accuses Politico reporter of inciting violence against federal law-enforcement officers
Federal authorities have released a comment warning Politico reporter Josh Gerstein about delivering “incitement” against federal officers in his social media postings.
On Monday, Gerstein posted on X a suggestion that “at some point, the amateur effort to knock on doors” of daycare centers in Minnesota that may be caught up in a fraud scandal would meet up with “robust stand-your-ground laws.”
Those laws provide for justification for self-defense should someone be attacked in a location where they have a legal right to be.
The implication of the Gerstein posting was foreboding, and ICE responded:
“You would think a ‘Senior Legal Affairs Reporter’ for POLITICO would know better than to tweet something inciting violence against federal agents,” the government agency said.
You would think a “Senior Legal Affairs Reporter” for POLITICO would know better than to tweet something inciting violence against federal agents. https://t.co/u8V0xVJjFY
— U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (@ICEgov) December 30, 2025
Gerstein’s original posting linking reporters raising questions about daycares possibly involved in what has been described as a billion-dollar fraud to being attacked at the time generated a reader’s comment, adding context, which explained, “Stand-your-ground laws remove the duty to retreat from a threat when a person is in a place they have a legal right to be. Knocking on the door of a supposedly public business does not constitute a threat, so stand-your-ground could not be invoked as a defense.”
A report at Fox News said Gerstein’s post apparently was in reference to an investigation by independent journalist Nick Shirley on alleged widespread fraud at Minnesota daycare centers.
Shirley posted to X and YouTube a video documenting visits to daycare centers in Minnesota that appeared to be inactive, despite their regular checks coming from the state.
Gerstein, facing backlash, had, in fact, added to his statement with comment, “To observe that something is likely to happen or there’s a serious risk of it happening is not to advocate for it happening.”
The report explained, “While Minnesota is not a stand-your-ground state, the state does follow the Castle Doctrine at home — so a person is not required to retreat from an intruder in their house — but outside the home, Minnesota law generally requires individuals to retreat if it is safe to do so before using force.”
Shirley posted video Friday showing his visits to multiple Somali-run day care centers in Minnesota which did not appear to have any children there, including one that received $4 million in taxpayer funds. Gerstein, though he later denied the threat, hinted that violent confrontations could be imminent as other journalists began probing the alleged fraud, prompting backlash in the comments.
From Gerstein:
At some point, the amateur effort to knock on doors of home daycares intersects with robust stand-your-ground laws
— Josh Gerstein (@joshgerstein) December 30, 2025
“At some point, the amateur effort to knock on doors of home daycares intersects with robust stand-your-ground laws,” Gerstein posted on X Monday, prompting backlash from podcaster Robby Starbuck, WMAL host Julie Gunlock, WBT host Pete Kaliner and Fox News Digital politics managing editor Will Ricciardella, among others.
Somali Quality ‘Learing’ Center fixes its sign after nationwide ridicule
WATCH: Elon Musk identifies 2025 ‘Word of the Year’ as Minnesota fraud takes mind-boggling turn