Sen. Jim Justice urges ICE rethink, then says he fully backs Trump's enforcement
Sen. Jim Justice (R-W.Va.) told Politico the administration should step back and adjust its immigration sweeps, then said a day later that he supports Trump's enforcement "full stop" and that the media twisted his words.
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The story, neutrally told
Sen. Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), a Trump ally, told Politico on Tuesday that the administration should pull back on immigration sweeps. Raw StoryL “is urging the administration to pull back on its immigration sweeps” Read at Raw Story ↗ Washington ExaminerR “On Tuesday, however, the conservative Trump ally and member of the Senate agriculture committee took a more critical stance.” Read at Washington Examiner ↗ He said ICE risked "dragging people away that have lived on your street corner for 15 years" and that the administration should admit possible mistakes and "adjust to that". Raw StoryL “we probably got to step back from it and say, 'Maybe we're doing something wrong here or there,' and then adjust to that.” Read at Raw Story ↗ Washington ExaminerR “you're dragging people away that have lived on your street corner for 15 years” Read at Washington Examiner ↗ The remarks followed complaints from cattle and ranching groups that ICE operations are disrupting labor and supply chains; Raw Story, citing Politico, named Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma. Raw StoryL “ICE operations in Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma are costing cattle producers millions of dollars” Read at Raw Story ↗ Washington ExaminerR “cattle groups who say their labor forces have been kneecapped at cattle processing facilities due to immigration raids” Read at Washington Examiner ↗
Other Republicans, including Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), have also voiced concerns about enforcement. Raw StoryL “Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) has criticized the administration's immigration enforcement” Read at Raw Story ↗ Washington ExaminerR “Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS), who faces a competitive reelection” Read at Washington Examiner ↗ On Wednesday Justice issued a statement saying he "full stop" supports Trump's enforcement efforts and accused the media of "twisting my words to score political points", according to the Washington Examiner. Washington ExaminerR “said he “full stop” supports President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement efforts and accused the media of “twisting my words to score political points.”” Read at Washington Examiner ↗ He added that officials should focus on criminals who are in the country illegally and endanger Americans. Washington ExaminerR “officials should “focus on criminals who are here illegally and putting Americans in danger,”” Read at Washington Examiner ↗
Raw Story also reported that Fox News's Bill Melugin said ICE officers were told to stop arresting immigrants with no criminal record, an order the administration called a "miscommunication" and reversed. Raw StoryL “The administration later called that order a "miscommunication" and reversed it.” Read at Raw Story ↗ Justice won his Senate seat in 2024 with Trump's endorsement, and the Examiner says he is weighing a return bid for West Virginia governor. Raw StoryL “won his Senate seat in 2024 with Trump's endorsement” Read at Raw Story ↗ Washington ExaminerR “who’s weighing a bid to return to the West Virginia governor’s mansion” Read at Washington Examiner ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Treats Justice's comments as a striking Republican rebuke of Trump's ICE operations.
- Emphasis
- The quotes urging the administration to admit mistakes, the cattle industry complaints, and other Republican dissent.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Justice's later statement of full support for Trump's enforcement, published after this article.
- Charged language
- “shocks”“remarkable break from Trump”
- For example
-
“GOP senator shocks with 'remarkable break from Trump': 'Maybe we're doing something wrong'” — Raw Story
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right2 outlets
- Framing
- Frames the story as Justice retreating from his criticism and reaffirming loyalty to Trump.
- Emphasis
- His Wednesday statement, his focus on violent criminals, and the political pressure from cattle groups and Sen. Marshall's competitive reelection.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the reported ICE order on arresting immigrants without criminal records or Rep. Salazar's 'betrayal' charge.
- Charged language
- “walks back”“backpedaled”“kneecapped”
- For example
-
“Jim Justice walks back criticism of Trump’s ICE operations” — Washington Examiner
What every side reports
- Justice told Politico on Tuesday that the administration should step back and adjust its immigration enforcement.
- Justice sits on the Senate Agriculture Committee and is a Trump ally.
- Cattle industry complaints about ICE operations preceded his remarks.
Where accounts differ
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Whether Justice's remarks were a real break with Trump or a misreading
- Left
- Presents them as a "remarkable break from Trump" and the most forceful Republican criticism yet; does not cover his Wednesday statement.
- Right
- Says he walked back the criticism, backs Trump "full stop" and blames the media for twisting his words.
Jim Justice person
First urged the administration to step back and adjust; then said he fully supports Trump's enforcement, wants violent criminals targeted, and that the media twisted his words.
““President Trump has made securing our border and restoring law and order a top priority, and I support that effort.”” — Washington Examiner
“To get better, the first thing you got to do is admit you're doing something wrong” — Raw Story
Trump administration organisation
Per Raw Story, it called a reported order to stop arresting immigrants with no criminal record a "miscommunication" and reversed it; no direct response to Justice is reported.
“The administration later called that order a "miscommunication" and reversed it.” — Raw Story
Left1 article
-
GOP senator shocks with 'remarkable break from Trump': 'Maybe we're doing something wrong'
Mixed Presents Justice's comments as a notable GOP break from Trump on ICE, backed by Politico's reporting.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right2 articles
-
-
Jim Justice walks back criticism of Trump’s ICE operations
Mixed Reports Justice retreating from his criticism and reaffirming support, while noting cattle-industry and GOP pressure.
- 30 Sep 12:42 First Raw StoryL GOP senator shocks with 'remarkable break from Trump': 'Maybe we're doing something wrong'
- 30 Sep 20:06 +7h 24m BreitbartR Sen. Jim Justice, Citing Difficulties for Ranchers, Says 'Maybe' ICE Is 'Doing Something Wrong Here or There' and Needs to 'Adjust' Tactics in Rural Areas
- 30 Sep 20:47 +8h 5m Washington ExaminerR Jim Justice walks back criticism of Trump’s ICE operations
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.