Podcast Summary: AMERICA'S VOICE LIVE WITH STEVE GRUBER

Podcast: Real America’s Voice (iHeartPodcasts)
Episode: January 7, 2026
Host: Steve Gruber
Notable Guests: Chris Piotta (Ret. FBI Exec. Asst. Director), Charles Marino (Sentinel CEO, fmr DHS adviser), Sen. Ron Johnson (WI), Don Brown (Federal prosecutor, attorney), MN State Officials

Main Theme

The episode centers on a breaking news incident in Minneapolis where a federal ICE officer shot and killed a driver who allegedly attempted to ram officers during an immigration enforcement operation. The discussion delves into the escalation of tensions between federal law enforcement and local officials, rising hostility toward immigration enforcement, political rhetoric surrounding sanctuary cities, alleged widespread fraud tied to specific communities in Minnesota, and broader implications for law, public safety, and national politics.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Breaking News: Minneapolis ICE Incident

• Event Recap:

  • During an ICE enforcement action, demonstrators blocked vehicles and allegedly a woman attempted to drive into federal officers. An officer fired, killing the driver.
  • Officers and demonstrators injured; situation described as increasingly hostile for federal law enforcement.
  • DHS connects the incident to a broader trend of violence against ICE and calls it a “grim reminder” of enforcement risks.

• Host (Steve Gruber) Reaction [(01:00–02:56)]:

  • Emphasizes predictability of outcomes when police are attacked.
  • Criticizes left-wing (especially Minneapolis) politicians for “blaming ICE.”

  “Look, if you try to run over a police officer… the outcome is going to be a bad one for you. That’s what happened here. And yet, as predictable as it is, the left coming out and saying it’s the fault of ICE officers.” – Steve Gruber (02:56)

2. Expert Analysis: Legal and Policy Perspectives

• Chris Piotta (Ret. FBI Executive Assistant Director):

  “Any time that you use a vehicle to drive toward federal law enforcement officers, a vehicle is a deadly weapon... officers are authorized to use deadly force.” (03:31)

• Charles Marino (Sentinel CEO, former DHS adviser, fmr Secret Service):

  • Highlights the legitimacy of the use of force across agencies:

    “The use of force paradigm is pretty consistent here across all federal agencies... if that vehicle becomes a weapon, then you have a right to defend yourself and deadly force is justified.” (04:32)

  • Notes that threats against ICE/CBP are “up over 8,000%.”
  • Blames “irresponsible politicians” for inciting confrontations.

• Discussion of Minnesota as “Epicenter of Failure”

  • Gruber and Piotta criticize Minnesota’s political leadership, attributing unrest to “extreme liberalism,” the “growth of foreign populations” (specifically Somali communities), and “pandering” leaders:

    “Vacuum of leadership... extreme liberalism… they’ve been allowed to assume power... feckless leaders... support that extreme left position... force confrontations that can have extreme consequences, such as today.” – Chris Piotta (06:19)

3. Political Rhetoric & Sanctuary Cities

• Mayor Jacob Frey’s Statement (Clip Played):

  • “ICE, get the f--- out of Minneapolis. We do not want you here... you are doing exactly the opposite [of keeping us safe]... families are being ripped apart... now somebody is dead.” (07:39–08:20)

• Charles Marino’s Reaction:

  • Accuses mayor and similar politicians of encouraging division and undermining assimilation:

    “He’s acquiesced to the entire population... allowed to segregate themselves... nor do they want to assimilate... created in part this entire mess that we see unfolding right now...” (08:22)

  • “Making law enforcement the bad guys... these politicians are coming out without any accountability saying you should... disrupt... Everything that’s wrong with sanctuary cities.” (08:22–09:35)

4. Federal Solutions and Enforcement Strategy

• Policy Proposals:
  • Cut off federal grants to sanctuary jurisdictions (DOJ, DHS).
  • Frustration with courts blocking Trump administration attempts at using “power of the purse.”
  • Executive branch, per Marino, has the authority and should “limit funds to cities that fail to ensure safety.”

5. Senator Ron Johnson Interview: Broader Political & Social Context

• On Minneapolis Incident:

  • Laments the “tragedy all the way around” and predicts more protests, unrest, possibly more violence.

  • “It’s all brought about by allowing the illegal immigration issue, the open borders, to go completely out of control... Now this is going to erupt into major protests again. Hopefully... there’s not additional property damage.” (15:09–16:07)

• On Minnesota and Political Division:

  • Attributes unrest and fraud to “Democrat governance”:

    “Democrat governance. It’s literally that simple... they open up the borders, they create this crime wave, these murders and vehicular homicides and rapes and all that kind of thing. And they just want to look the other way because they’re bringing in voters...” (16:41)

• On Fraud Allegations:

  • Discusses alleged fraudulent public spending in Minnesota, particularly tied to Somali community and childcare programs.

  • “What we’re seeing in Minnesota is just the tip of the iceberg... you can’t shovel the money out the door fast enough, it’s going to be misused... the Somalis, they’re amateurs at this. They’ve only been in the country a few years. You’ve got entrenched interests that know how to game the system.” (19:00)

• On Policy Solutions:

  • Calls for limiting the scope of government as only real solution to “rampant” fraud.
  • Critiques both parties, but especially Democrats, for divisiveness.

6. International News – Venezuela, Monroe Doctrine

• Trump Administration’s Venezuela Policy:
  • Johnson supports action to remove Maduro; frames it as liberation, not invasion:

  • “It’s an undeniably good thing that Maduro is gone... This could really end up being a win-win-win situation for South America, the Western Hemisphere, for America...” (23:00)

  • Praises Trump’s foreign policy resolve:

    “If he tells you he’s going to do something, he will do it... Trump doesn’t want to use military force... He will absolutely protect America’s national security.” (24:47)

7. Legal Context & Public Safety: Don Brown Interview

• Legal Justification:

  • Asserts federal officer acted in clear self-defense; vehicle = deadly force.

  • “The officer has a right to use deadly force to stop deadly force. A moving vehicle can do a lot of damage, kill a lot of people. And it appears to be a clear case of self-defense...” (26:49)

• Wider Implications of Political Rhetoric:

  • Strongly criticizes Minneapolis officials for endangering officers:

    “Irresponsible rhetoric is going to cause more potshots against officers, not just federal, but state as well... look what they did to Derek Chauvin.” (28:30)

  • Urges criminal prosecution for alleged fraud tied to Somali community; anti-immigration tone:

    “We need to see people in handcuffs. We need to see people in jail... I want to see every illegal Somali rooted out of Minnesota now.” (31:01)

8. Minnesota State Response

• Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson:

  • Advocates for peaceful protests; outlines safe, legal methods; warns illegal acts may result in arrest. (34:13)

• National Guard “Warning Order”:

  • MN Governor and officials describe only raising National Guard readiness, not deploying them.
  • Governor Tim Walz emphasizes the right to protest, but calls federal deployment “chaotic”; expresses little coordination with federal authorities.

• Governor Tim Walz’s Position:

  • Cautious about assigning blame pending investigation; opposes federal “occupation,” evoking “martial law” and “Insurrection Act.”
  • Urges citizens:

    “Do not take the bait. Do not allow them to deploy federal troops into here... We'll gather back with you as soon as we gather more information...” (44:14–49:36)

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Steve Gruber:

  “If you try to run over a police officer… the outcome is going to be a bad one for you.” (02:56)

• Chris Piotta (FBI, ret’d):

  “A vehicle is a deadly weapon... if officers feel as though they are being subjected to serious bodily harm... they are authorized to use deadly force.” (03:31)

• Charles Marino (fmr Secret Service):

  “[Threats against agents are] up over 8,000%... Politicians are coming out... saying you should go out and do whatever you need to do to disrupt them... Everything that’s wrong with sanctuary cities…” (04:32)

• Mayor Jacob Frey:

  “ICE, get the f--- out of Minneapolis. We do not want you here… families are being ripped apart… now somebody is dead.” (07:39)

• Sen. Ron Johnson (WI):

  “Democrat governance. It’s literally that simple. They open up the borders, they create this crime wave... it’s destructive to America.” (16:41)
  “Federal government is the entity most easy to fleece...” (20:47)

• Don Brown (Federal Prosecutor):

  “A moving vehicle can do a lot of damage, kill a lot of people… appears to be a clear case of self-defense.” (26:49)
  “I want to see every illegal Somali rooted out of Minnesota now.” (31:01)

• Gov. Tim Walz (MN):

  “I just want to again, implore Minnesotans. I am not telling you not to express your anger or frustrations... I encourage you to use your First Amendment rights... but do so in a peaceful manner.” (44:14–49:36)

Notable Moments and Tone

• Hostile Tone Toward MN Leadership: The rhetoric from Gruber and guests against Democratic city/state leaders is scathing, at times derisive.
• Conflation of Immigration, Crime, and Fraud: Multiple guests and the host suggest a direct link between immigrant communities (named: Somali), political leverage, and “fleecing” of the system.
• Calls for Aggressive Federal Action: Repeated advocacy for cutting funds to resistant cities, increasing federal enforcement, and even mass prosecutions.
• Minnesota Officials’ Emphasis on Civil Liberties and Safety: Governor, state officials, and MN National Guard leadership stress peaceful protest, nonviolence, and safety over confrontation; repeatedly push back on “federal chaos” narrative.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:32–07:20: Breaking Minneapolis incident, expert panel setup
• 07:39–08:20: Mayor Frey’s “ICE get out” speech
• 08:22–12:45: Analysis of political rhetoric, sanctuary cities, and proposed federal response
• 15:09–21:44: Sen. Ron Johnson on the ICE shooting, MN governance, and national division
• 23:00–25:34: Johnson on Venezuela action, Trump’s doctrine
• 26:49–31:53: Don Brown, legal context, and law enforcement politics
• 34:13–44:14: MN State response, public safety, National Guard readiness, Gov. Walz statements
• 44:14–49:36: Gov. Walz cautions against escalation, urges peaceful protest

Conclusion

This episode provides a deeply polarized look at the fallout from a high-stakes, fatal law enforcement incident in Minneapolis. The host and guests primarily advocate for tough immigration enforcement, blame left-leaning officials and policies for rising violence and fraud, and frame the event as symptomatic of a broader breakdown in civil order linked to sanctuary cities.

Conversely, in the latter portion, Minnesota state officials urge restraint, careful investigation, and emphasize civil liberties amid a highly charged political atmosphere.

The atmosphere is tense, emotional, and combative, reflecting the broader national divide over immigration, policing, and governance.