The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
Episode: Hour 2 - ICE Officer Shooting
Date: January 7, 2026
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts
Hosts: Clay Travis and Buck Sexton
Key Guest: Michelle Tafoya
Episode Overview
This hour centers on the breaking news of an ICE-involved shooting in Minneapolis. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton analyze the events leading up to the shooting, the broader political context, and the reactions from local officials and the media. The episode features a real-time interview with Minnesota resident and former sportscaster Michelle Tafoya for on-the-ground perspectives, and plays direct audio from Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey's inflammatory press conference. The hosts draw connections to ongoing debates over law enforcement, immigration, and the politicization of federal agencies.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Breaking Down the ICE Officer Shooting
[01:58] Clay Travis
- Incident summary: Minneapolis ICE officers were conducting targeted operations related to Somali daycare fraud. During protests against ICE, a woman allegedly weaponized her vehicle, attempting to run over officers. An ICE officer fired defensively, resulting in the woman’s death.
- Context:
- Expanded ICE presence following the daycare fraud scandal.
- Ongoing protests by left-wing activists and local politicians.
- Clay shares details from Trisha McLaughlin’s (@trishaohio) report:
“ICE officers in Minneapolis were conducting targeted operations when rioters began blocking ICE officers. One of these violent rioters weaponized her vehicle, attempting to run over our law enforcement officers... An ICE officer, fearing for his life... fired defensive shots... The alleged perpetrator was hit and is deceased.” [01:58]
- Statistics:
- +13% increase in assaults on officers,
- 8,000% increase in death threats against ICE agents.
2. Double Standards in Law Enforcement Coverage
[03:55] Buck Sexton
- Highlights contrast between media/political response to January 6th and to violence against ICE:
“The same federal law, the same origin of authority that we got all these just sanctimonious lectures about... they mobilized the FBI unlike ever before... When it comes to ICE, these are law enforcement officers, Democrats aren't standing up for them.” [03:55]
- Critiques Democratic politicians for demonizing ICE; likens current backlash to “BLM 2.0.”
- Reiterates that body cams have shown the reality officers deal with, urging public support for law enforcement.
3. Details, Video Analysis, and Media Framing
[06:53] Clay Travis
- Live video assessment:
- Shares that video evidence shows the woman accelerating toward officers before shots are fired.
- Predicts mainstream left-leaning outlets will drop the story once the video’s context becomes clear:
“When authority for use of force is justified, story just vanishes. Nobody ever admits it on CNN or MSNBC.” [06:53]
- Critiques Minnesota politicians, including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, for blaming ICE and inciting further unrest:
“These lunatic leftists… they take the lesson… from their hair brained leaders and then they engage in violent acts.” [06:53]
4. Targeting of ICE Officers and Open Borders
[09:37] Buck Sexton
- Points out Democrats have made it easier for ICE officers to be doxed, putting their families at risk.
- Argues that opposition to ICE is rooted in political calculus, not principle:
“They want maniacs to bring pressure on ICE and to threaten to kill their family members… because they politically oppose the enforcement of federal immigration law.” [09:37]
- Criticizes the Biden administration for operating “wide open borders” and likens the current posture to open encouragement of illegal immigration.
5. Broader Political and Economic Context
[11:47] Clay Travis
- Notes Trump’s remarks on homeownership and BlackRock’s dip following his statement about large corporate ownership of homes.
- Links illegal immigration and affordability, positing that a reduction in illegal immigrants could decrease rent and housing costs.
- Emphasizes the impact of mortgage rates and the potential economic effects of limiting corporate home purchases.
6. On-The-Ground Perspective: Michelle Tafoya Interview
[23:50] Michelle Tafoya & Host Dialogue
- Describes Minnesota’s evolution from a place of civic pride and public safety to one characterized by escalating disorder since 2020:
“It was safe… you felt safe everywhere. It's not that way anymore. The decline is real and it's happened kind of slowly and then all at once.” [23:50]
- Criticizes state and city leadership (Tim Walz, Mayor Frey) for promoting hostility toward federal authorities and failing on law and order.
- Discusses division between liberal metro area and conservative “out-state” Minnesota, suggesting the recent scandals and violence may be shifting political winds:
“That blue could be lightening up. There could be an opportunity here for Republicans to win some statewide elections.” [26:52]
7. Mayor Jacob Frey’s Press Conference
Audio & Reaction
- Mayor Frey’s direct quotes:
- On self-defense claim:
“Having seen the video myself...that is bull. This was an agent recklessly using power that resulted in somebody dying.” [36:04]
- To ICE:
“ICE, get the f*** out of Minneapolis. We do not want you here...Now somebody is dead. That’s on you.” [36:52]
- On self-defense claim:
- Host and guest reactions:
- Clay: “It feels to me like this is a crossing the Rubicon moment when the mayor of Minneapolis is saying, get the F out.” [28:55]
- Michelle Tafoya calls his language completely irresponsible and calls for calm:
“He does not own the city. There are a lot of concerned citizens... What about us?” [37:39]
8. Final Thoughts & Political Consequences
- Michelle Tafoya, asked if she’ll consider running for office in Minnesota:
“We need some sanity in this state. It makes me sad for this state to see how far it has plummeted…” [39:51]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
“ICE officers in Minneapolis were conducting targeted operations when rioters began blocking ICE officers. One of these violent rioters weaponized her vehicle, attempting to run over our law enforcement officers... An act of domestic terrorism.”
— Clay Travis, quoting Trisha McLaughlin [01:58] -
“...the Democrat Party does not care about the law. It cares about power.”
— Buck Sexton [03:55] -
“When authority for use of force is justified, story just vanishes… they just pretend the story didn't exist.”
— Clay Travis [06:53] -
“If you try to run over a law enforcement officer, they do not have the obligation to let you crush them and perhaps kill them without taking defensive action.”
— Buck Sexton [17:50] -
“It's not his city, it's our city. And what they're trying to do is bring some law and order to a city that's been bereft of that since basically 2020.”
— Michelle Tafoya [34:53] -
“ICE, get the f* out of Minneapolis. We do not want you here... That’s on you.”**
— Mayor Jacob Frey [36:52] -
“There are a lot of concerned citizens across Minnesota about what's been going on, about whether or not they're safe... What about us?”
— Michelle Tafoya [37:39]
Timeline of Key Segments
- [01:58] – [03:55]: Overview of the ICE shooting and social media reporting
- [03:55] – [06:53]: Buck’s commentary on double standards and law enforcement
- [06:53] – [09:37]: Analysis of shooting video and Minnesota politics
- [09:37] – [11:47]: ICE officer risks, open border accusations
- [11:47] – [14:16]: Broader policy context (crime stats, home affordability, Trump)
- [23:50] – [28:55]: Michelle Tafoya’s Minnesota perspective
- [30:51] – [31:07]: Mayor Frey’s denial of self-defense
- [34:53] – [39:51]: Tafoya’s reaction and thoughts on civic decline
- [36:04] – [37:32]: Mayor Frey's press conference quotes
- [37:39]: Michelle’s closing reflections
- [39:51]: Michelle on the possibility of running for office
Tone & Style
- The discussion is urgent, direct, and critical of progressive politics, with both hosts using pointed language (“lunatic leftists,” “power not principle,” etc.) and humor (“Maybe I should have said Minnesota is the state we should give away…”).
- Michelle Tafoya provides a somber, heartfelt description of Minneapolis's decline, expressing sadness and frustration as a resident.
- Mayor Frey’s remarks are played in full, highlighting the confrontational tone and political polarization surrounding the incident.
Summary
This episode dissects the unfolding ICE-involved shooting in Minneapolis, examining both the incident’s facts and the intense political climate that has shaped its aftermath. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton argue that left-leaning officials and media quickly drop stories that undermine their narrative, accuse Democratic politicians of fueling a hostile environment against law enforcement, and highlight Minneapolis’s transformation through voices like Michelle Tafoya’s. The real-time nature of the mayor’s press conference—telling ICE to “get the f*** out”—and the hosts’ immediate reactions provide listeners not just with breaking news but with incisive analysis of why these events matter in the broader debates over law, order, and political accountability.