IHIP News Podcast Summary

Episode: Gavin Newsom Walks Back His Attack on ICE While New Reports of Murders Surface?
Hosts: Jennifer Welch & Angie “Pumps” Sullivan
Air Date: January 16, 2026

Overview

In this charged episode of IHIP News, progressive hosts Jennifer Welch and Angie Sullivan (featuring Kyle Kulinski) tackle California Governor Gavin Newsom’s recent shift in rhetoric regarding ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and discuss new revelations about deaths in ICE custody. The conversation pulls no punches, criticizing Newsom’s attempts at political moderation, especially in light of alleged ICE abuses and the broader political climate. The hosts also offer fierce commentary on what moral clarity means for Democrats today, drawing historical parallels and highlighting the stakes of the current political moment.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Newsom’s Rhetorical Retreat on ICE

• Context: Newsom, once known for progressive stances, is criticized for tempering his condemnation of ICE and appearing conciliatory toward conservative pundit Ben Shapiro.
• Discussion:
  • [00:57–01:30] Gavin Newsom disavows the label of “state-sponsored terrorism” for ICE, calling that narrative harmful. He insists, “our ICE officers obviously are not terrorists. A tragic situation is not state sponsored terrorism.”
  • [01:33–08:00] Kyle Kulinski slams Newsom for trying to appeal to Republicans and right-wing media, stating Newsom is “taking a grenade at any chance that you had to really solidify the base.”
  • Newsom’s stance is framed as a betrayal of progressive principles and ineffective for building coalitions.

ICE Under the Microscope: Murders and Public Outrage

• Reporting:
  • [06:40] Washington Post breaks news of El Paso County Medical Examiner likely classifying the death of Geraldo Lunas Campos in an ICE detention center as a homicide.
  • A detainee reportedly witnessed Campos being choked to death by guards.
  • Quote (Kyle Kulinski): “We have a homicide at an ICE facility and you’re going to let Ben Shapiro dog walk you about this stuff? This ICE is not law enforcement. This is Trump’s terror squad. This is his goon squad.”
• [08:00–10:00] Comparison to authoritarian regimes: Mussolini’s Blackshirts, Hitler’s SS, and Trump’s perceived use of ICE as “an army of ideologically motivated chuds.”

Political Messaging, Hypocrisy, and Public Sentiment

• The Hypocrisy of “Triple Trumpers”:
  • [09:00] Anecdote about ICE agents dining at a family-run Mexican restaurant, then arresting workers there: “They want to go enjoy multiculturalism and then they also want to be racist pricks and they have a really hard time reconciling all of that.”
• Public Opinion & Polling:
  • [13:37] Tom Homan, former ICE director, laments declining public support for ICE, blaming “false media” and calling for better PR: “We need to start advertising that every single day and putting their pictures all over social media.”

Calls for Moral Clarity and Action

• Progressive Standards:
  • [07:30] “ICE needs to be abolished and dismantled. Mussolini had his black shirts, Hitler had his SS, and Trump has ICE...” (Aaron Rugenberg, cited by Kyle Kulinski)
  • [10:30] The show draws parallels between historical opposition to authoritarian forces and current calls to abolish ICE, framing abolition as a moderate, not radical, stance.
• Grassroots Mobilization:
  • [15:05] Urges listeners to “tell 10 people, make sure they’re registered to vote” and fight for democracy: “Nobody is coming to save us but us… we are a country of 250 years. Imperfect we may be, but we believe in human rights and we believe in social justice unconditionally.”

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Moral Frustration with Newsom:
  • Kyle Kulinski [08:00]:

    “If you can’t have moral clarity on this, you cannot lead a resistance and opposition, nor can you lead this country.”

• On ICE’s Characterization:
  • Kyle Kulinski [09:00]:

    “This is Trump’s terror squad. This is his goon squad... They are actually shooting people.”

• Historical Parallels [09:51]:
  • Aaron Rugenberg, quoted:

    “Mussolini had his black shirts, Hitler had his SS, and Trump has ICE, an army of ideologically motivated chuds...”

• On Public Sentiment and Polling:
  • Tom Homan [13:37]:

    “I think they’re being egged on by the press... We need to be better at messaging what we’re doing.”

• On Political Strategy:
  • Kyle Kulinski [14:14]:

    “The only solution they can come up with is suppressing the truth and increasing the propaganda. That’s all they have.”

• Mobilization Call to Action:
  • Kyle Kulinski [15:05]:

    “Nobody is coming to save us but us... We have to go hand in hand and fight for our democracy and fight for our fellow Americans... We believe in human rights and we believe in social justice unconditionally.”

Important Timestamps

• 00:57–01:33 — Gavin Newsom’s comments on ICE and terrorism accusations
• 01:33–09:00 — Kyle Kulinski’s analysis and intense critique of Newsom
• 06:40 — News breaking of homicide ruling in ICE detention
• 09:00 — Story of ICE agents at Mexican restaurant and related hypocrisy
• 09:51 — Historical parallels between ICE and authoritarian paramilitaries
• 13:37 — Tom Homan’s remarks on ICE’s image and polling
• 14:14–15:30 — Reflections on propaganda, parallels with Israeli policy, and call to grassroots activism

Tone and Style

• Language: Incendiary, passionate, deeply critical, occasionally comedic and irreverent
• Perspective: Unapologetically progressive; emphasizes moral urgency, grassroots activism, and impatience with political hedging

Conclusion

This episode stands as a blistering critique of political equivocation in the face of state violence, urging Democrats (and particularly Gavin Newsom) to reclaim a boldly moral, pro-human rights platform. The hosts contextualize ICE’s actions within alarming historical and contemporary trends, making an urgent case for abolition and organizing. The episode closes with a determined plea for grassroots activism—the hosts argue that only the people, not politicians, can enact the change that is desperately needed.