Morning Wire – Senate Targets Extremism & ICE Leadership Shake-Up

Date: October 29, 2025
Hosts: John Bickley, Georgia Howe
Guests/Reporters: Michael Knowles, Megan Basham, Jenny Terr, Amanda Presta Giacomo

Episode Overview

This episode of Morning Wire spotlights rising concerns over political violence associated with the far left, a Senate hearing confronting the phenomenon, a major shakeup at ICE leadership with internal DHS divisions, and a high-stakes New York City mayoral race stirring significant controversy and anxiety. The coverage aims to bring under-reported perspectives to light, especially where mainstream media often avoids uncomfortable angles.

Key Segments & Insights

1. Senate Hearing on Political Violence & Left-Wing Extremism

[02:03–07:00]

Purpose & Importance of the Hearing

• Megan Basham reports that the Senate hearing, led by Senator Schmidt and Republican colleagues, targeted the neglect of left-wing political violence and sought to force political and media leaders to confront the evidence.
• The assassination of Charlie Kirk served as a pivotal catalyst, making it "impossible to ignore" rising ideological violence.
• Despite some media coverage, many outlets have "worked hard to bury evidence pointing to ideological motives" behind significant events (04:00).

Michael Knowles' Testimony

• Michael Knowles highlighted the systematic underreporting of left-wing violence by classifying incidents as non-ideological or misconduct not tied to political motive.
• Notable Quote:
  “The federal government must act now to stop the consistent and accelerating trend of leftist terrorism. For a legislator to deny the threat and neglect the remedy... it is nothing less than complicity.”
  — Michael Knowles [02:03]
• He cited examples:
  • Covenant School shooting in Nashville: “According to authorities, there was no ideological motive there. Go figure.”
  • Black Lives Matter riots: “Overtly leftist demonstrations…left dozens dead and over a billion dollars in property damage. Likewise, those fail to show up on registers of left-wing political violence.”
  • Personal Antifa targeting incidents: misclassified as “obstructing law enforcement,” not as attacks on conservatives.
    — Michael Knowles [04:35]

Data & Official Responses

• Sen. Marsha Blackburn (paraphrased by Basham):
  • Antifa, ICE protest strikes, and similar left-progressive violence is systematically "undercounted," while right-wing violence is "overcounted." [05:15]
• Study via The Atlantic cited by Knowles: Left now commits more political violence than the right.
  • “Less honest liberals, including members of Congress, continue to deny this fact…” — Knowles [05:57]
• Poll: 26% of young liberals (vs. 7% of young conservatives) considered political violence “sometimes permissible.” [06:25]

Key Takeaway

• The Senate push and Knowles’ testimony aimed for national acknowledgment of a leftward shift in political violence, challenging narratives downplaying such threats.

2. ICE Leadership Shake-Up & Internal DHS Divisions

[07:04–11:21]

Nature and Scale of the Changes

• Jenny Terr reports that ICE leaders are being replaced by Border Patrol figures in cities including LA, Phoenix, Denver, and others.
• Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino now leads operations in multiple major cities (e.g., Los Angeles, Chicago), signaling a shift to broader, more assertive enforcement tactics.

Internal Disagreement Over Approach

• There are schisms within DHS:
  • Corey Lewandowski (Senior Advisor/Acting Leader) advocates for high-number arrests and mass deportations.
  • Head of ICE and border czar Tom Homan favor “higher quality” targeted arrests—focusing on hardened criminals for public approval and morale.
  • “They want to show the public that they're getting really bad guys, really hardened criminals off the streets … making sure that those ICE officers are really feeling good about the work they're doing and that they're making targeted arrests.” — Jenny Terr [09:05]

Tactics and Public Perception

• Recent broader sweeps (e.g., Home Depot raids, car washes) by Border Patrol have prompted backlash and legal scrutiny — including testimony about alleged tear gas use in Chicago (Bovino).
• Lewisandowski’s faction is winning:
  • “His camp is really winning this fight from what we can tell… his control at DHS has really become a point of contention.” — Jenny Terr [10:27]

Trump's Role

• President Trump is seen as ultimately advising all camps, but the path is now trending toward quantity > quality thanks to Lewandowski's dominance.

3. The New York City Mayoral Race & Zoran Mamdani’s Controversies

[11:24–15:46]

State of the Race

• Amanda Presta Giacomo covers Socialist candidate Zoran Mamdani’s shrinking lead: from 20 points to 10 (Suffolk University poll: 44% Mamdani, 34% Andrew Cuomo).
• Outgoing Mayor Eric Adams endorsed Cuomo, helping close the gap; GOP contender Curtis Sliwa holds 11%.

Controversies & Criticisms

• Islamophobia and 9/11 Comments
  • Mamdani's recounting of his Muslim aunt’s fear post-9/11 spotlighted his identity-based campaign:
    “I want to speak to the memory of my aunt who stopped taking the subway after September 11th because she did not feel safe in her hijab.” — Zoran Mamdani (quoted by John Bickley) [13:17]
  • When challenged, he revised the story and accused critics of Islamophobia.
• Antisemitism Accusations
  • A 2023 resurfaced clip:
    “We have to make clear that when the boot of the NYPD is on your neck, it’s been laced by the IDF.” — Zoran Mamdani (quoted by John Bickley) [13:53]
• Policy Positions Stir Anxiety
  • Massive tax hikes, freeze on rent, replacing police with social workers, government-run groceries, decriminalization of sex work.
  • “There was a survey…as much as a quarter of all New York City residents would consider fleeing the city if Mamdani does become mayor.” — Amanda Presta Giacomo [14:12]
  • A watchdog group has even offered relocation help for concerned citizens.

Demographics & Support

• Mamdani thriving among under-40s and immigrant voters; foreign-born residents now nearly 40% of the NYC population, shaping electoral dynamics.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “The federal government must act now to stop the consistent and accelerating trend of leftist terrorism…” — Michael Knowles [02:03]
• “Less honest liberals, including members of Congress, continue to deny this fact. Democrat Congressman Seth Moulton… blamed the right [for Kirk’s assassination].” — Michael Knowles [05:57]
• “They want to show the public that they're getting really bad guys, really hardened criminals off the streets…” — Jenny Terr [09:05]
• “When the boot of the NYPD is on your neck, it’s been laced by the IDF.” — Zoran Mamdani (quoted) [13:53]
• “As much as a quarter of all New York City residents would consider fleeing the city if Mamdani does become mayor.” — Amanda Presta Giacomo [14:12]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:03 Senate hearing/Michael Knowles’ testimony
• 04:35 Knowles' examples of overlooked left-wing political violence
• 05:15 Sen. Marsha Blackburn on undercounting left violence
• 07:04 ICE shake-up overview
• 08:12 DHS infighting (Lewandowski vs. Homan/ICE)
• 09:44 Tactics and public concern around ICE/BP raids
• 10:27 Who’s winning inside DHS (Lewandowski)
• 11:49 NYC mayoral race polling shift
• 13:17 Mamdani’s comments on Islamophobia post-9/11
• 13:53 Mamdani's NYPD/IDF quote
• 14:12–15:34 Anxiety over Mamdani’s potential win; city demographics

Summary

This episode scrutinizes how U.S. government and media establishments address—or, according to the show, fail to address—the reality of leftist-driven political violence, both statistically and anecdotally. It unpacks the ideological, political, and tactical divides within DHS, now playing out in a visible ICE power struggle, and closes with a deep dive into the most contentious NYC mayoral campaign in a generation, where identity politics and progressive proposals are fueling a wave of anxiety and division. Anchored by ground-level reporting and high-profile testimonies, Morning Wire positions itself explicitly as a corrective to mainstream narratives.