Vice President JD Vance sharply criticized New York Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler on Tuesday over comments Vance said amounted to “openly calling” for violence against federal law enforcement officers, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, as reported by The New York Post.

“Jerry Nadler is one of the highest-ranking Democrats in the House of Representatives, and he is openly calling for people to shoot federal law enforcement,” Vance wrote in a post on X Tuesday.

“This is despicable behavior from an elected official, and I’m sure the left-wing media will cover it extensively.”

Jerry Nadler is one of the highest ranking Democrats in the House of Representatives and he is openly calling for people to shoot federal law enforcement.

This is despicable behavior from an elected official and I’m sure the leftwing media will cover it extensively. https://t.co/hmbV43h43H

— JD Vance (@JDVance) February 3, 2026

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Representatives for Nadler did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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The exchange followed remarks Nadler made during a House Judiciary Committee hearing, where the Manhattan Democrat criticized what he described as “fascism in our streets” and “attacks on American citizens by masked hoodlums.”

Nadler went on to suggest that members of the public could perceive masked officers as threats.

“If you were attacked by a masked person, you might think you were being kidnapped. You’d be justified in shooting the person to protect yourself,” Nadler said. “But we see people being shot, for what? For driving a car?”

Vance’s comments came against the backdrop of two fatal shootings in Minneapolis last month during confrontations involving Department of Homeland Security personnel and immigration officers.

The incidents have drawn national attention as tensions continue to rise over immigration enforcement operations.

One of the shootings involved Renee Good, 37, who was killed after accelerating her vehicle in the direction of an ICE officer following repeated refusals to move and alleged interference with enforcement operations.

Authorities said the officer opened fire, killing Good at the scene.

The second fatal encounter involved Alex Pretti, also 37, who was armed with a loaded Sig Sauer pistol.

According to federal authorities, Pretti refused to move out of the roadway and became involved in a physical struggle with Border Patrol agents. Two agents opened fire during the confrontation, resulting in Pretti’s death.

Both shootings remain under investigation by federal law enforcement agencies.

In the wake of the Minneapolis incidents and Nadler’s comments, House Democrats sent a letter Tuesday to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons, requesting that the Department of Homeland Security rescind a recent memo expanding immigration officers’ authority to execute administrative warrants.

The memo allows immigration officers broader discretion to carry out administrative warrants, including in private residences.

Democrats argued that the policy change increases the risk of violent confrontations and confusion during enforcement actions.

The Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement have defended enforcement operations as lawful and necessary to carry out federal immigration policy, emphasizing officer safety and compliance with established procedures.

Vance, in his post, framed Nadler’s remarks as reckless at a time when federal officers are facing heightened hostility during enforcement operations.

The vice president did not reference the Minneapolis investigations directly but tied his criticism to what he described as a broader political climate that, in his view, places law enforcement at risk.

The controversy adds to the ongoing debate in Congress over immigration enforcement authority, officer conduct, and the language used by elected officials as investigations into recent fatal encounters continue.

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