The Find Out Podcast

Episode: ICE Murder in Minneapolis

Date: January 7, 2026
Guest: Congressman Eric Swalwell
Theme: Responding to a deadly ICE shooting in Minneapolis, expanding on Trump-era law enforcement abuses, and vision for California’s future.

Episode Overview

This high-energy, candid episode of The Find Out Podcast pivots from planned discussion to real-time reactions after breaking news: an ICE agent has fatally shot a woman in Minneapolis. Host Zach and co-hosts invite Congressman Eric Swalwell to unpack the incident, contextualize it within Trump’s second term, and discuss broader implications for law enforcement, immigrant communities, and the rule of law. The conversation ultimately expands to geopolitics under Trump, the dangers of unchecked executive power, and Swalwell’s own run for governor of California.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Breaking News: ICE Agent Shoots and Kills Woman in Minneapolis

(00:16 - 07:16)

• Incident Details

  • ICE agent, masked and apparently unidentifiable, fatally shot a woman in a car attempting to flee the scene.
  • Shooting follows a federal deployment of 2,000 ICE agents to Minneapolis, justified by a questionable crackdown on "daycare fraud."

• Outrage Over Use of Force

  • Swalwell, a former prosecutor and from a law enforcement family, forcefully labels the shooting "murder":

    “What that officer did there was murder... There was no de-escalation. There was no effort to, you know, use any other level of force.” (01:26)

  • No evidence the officer's life was in danger; victim’s car wheels were turned away from him.

• Condemnation of ICE Tactics

  • Agents operating masked, with impunity.
  • Host Zach questions the justification for unidentifiable law enforcement:

    “Should we allow law enforcement to be masked in our cities?” (03:49)

2. The Militarization and Political Weaponization of ICE

(03:03 - 11:16)

• Motives Behind ICE Surge

  • Trump administration accused of orchestrating mass ICE deployments as political theater, targeting Somali Americans, riling up the MAGA base, and distracting from tanking poll numbers.
  • Swalwell:

    “Donald Trump looking for fraud is like O.J. Simpson looking for the real killer, right? Give me a break.” (03:54)

• Lack of Accountability: Masked Agents

  • Unprecedented among US law enforcement for federal agents to operate fully masked outside of extraordinary danger.
  • Energy for Democratic proposals: unmask and ID agents via budgetary control, strip ICE of civil immunity.

• Call for Local Action

  • Swalwell urges mayors, attorneys general, and governors to “go on offense”: prosecute ICE for crimes where warranted, revoke driver’s licenses for unidentified agents, and protect community members from federal overreach.

    “Take away their damn driver’s license. Don’t allow them to drive in your state.” (08:29)

3. Policing, Public Perception, and Community Risk

(11:16 - 15:22)

• Impact on Local Law Enforcement

  • Local police want to distance themselves: concerns civilians may not distinguish between actual police and lawless ICE agents.

• Advice for Activists and Witnesses

  • Citizens are allowed to record ICE encounters, witness, and publicize actions — provided they do not interfere with arrests.

4. A National Inflection Point?

(08:01 - 11:16)

• Potential for Mass Resistance

  • Parallels drawn to George Floyd: another police killing in Minneapolis, potential catalyst for a nationwide protest movement.

    “This... feels like... the spark point for something like what happened with George Floyd.” (08:01)

• Democratic Messaging

  • Praise for Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey:

    “He said I have a message to ICE: get the fuck out of Minneapolis now.” (09:55)

5. What Congress (and Democrats) Can Do

(11:16 - 13:41)

• Limits and Opportunities Amid Minority Status
  • Democratic options limited by razor-thin Republican control, but there is some bipartisan distaste for “lawless” operations.
  • Priority legislative target: strip ICE agents of "blanket immunity" for non-law enforcement (civil) actions, to create accountability.

6. Escalating Trump-Era Foreign Policy: The Maduro Kidnapping

(16:19 - 24:40)

• No Congressional Plan Shared

  • The White House has not adequately briefed Congress on their “plan” after forcibly extraditing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
  • Swalwell lambasts Trump’s foreign adventurism:

    “Donald Trump couldn’t run a casino. Now he wants to run a country in South America.” (17:00)

• Trump Breaking (and Reversing) Promises

  • Ran on ending “endless wars,” instead dramatically expanded military strikes (Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Greenland threatens).
  • Broke pledges to release Epstein files, reduce costs for average Americans.

• Resource Grab, Not Democracy

  • Trump's motivation for confronting Venezuela depicted as a naked attempt to steal oil, rare earth minerals:

    “His problem with Bush is not that he went into Iraq, it’s that he didn’t, you know, colonize the place and make Iraqis Americans and make their natural resources ours.” (19:10)

• Economic and Military Recklessness

  • Wars do not lower costs for Americans; proxy regimes foisted on countries like Venezuela unlikely to reduce US strain or increase security.

7. Vision for California: Swalwell’s Gubernatorial Run

(24:40 - 31:57)

• Main Pledges as Governor:
  • Protect California from Trump/ICE:

    “First, to keep the worst president ever out of our homes, streets and lives.” (25:09)

    • Pledge to prosecute unlawful ICE activity, make masked federal operations unwelcome, revoke IDs/licenses for agents operating outside the law.
  • Affordability and Economic Growth:
    • Declare a housing emergency statewide, force agencies to rapidly approve/deny new development.
    • Envision a California where young families can buy their first home early.
    • California Prosperity Plan: state to match small-business contributions for employees’ retirement.
  • Government Modernization:
    • Roll out universal digital front doors for all state services.
    • Make California a leader in safe, secure mobile voting using blockchain technology.
  • Maximum Civic Participation:
    • Push for vote-by-phone and broader democracy, drawing on digital innovations from other states.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On ICE Shooting in Minneapolis:

  • Swalwell:

    "What that officer did there was murder. You know that... There was no de-escalation. There was no effort to... use any other level of force." (01:26)

  • Host:

    "Should we allow law enforcement to be masked in our cities?" (03:49)

  • Swalwell:

    "Donald Trump looking for fraud is like O.J. Simpson looking for the real killer, right? Give me a break." (03:54)

  • "If you take the mask off, there's going to be fewer ICE agents who are willing to go out in the community and do this. I think they have this invincibility complex right now because they think they're invisible." (04:45)

• On Local and State Response:

  • "If you have ICE agents... wearing masks and unidentified and you're a governor, take away their damn driver's license. Don't allow them to drive in your state. You know, make that a revocable offense." (08:29)
  • Zach: "Tim Walls could, if he wanted, take their driver's licenses away...?"
    Swalwell: "You have a lot of states' rights and authorities that affect their mobility... just go on offense." (09:42)

• On Mayoral Leadership:

  • Zach:

    “Mayor Jacob Frey... said I have a message to ICE, get the fuck out of Minneapolis now... is this maybe a turning point?” (09:55)

• On Political Weaponization/Trump Doctrine:

  • Swalwell:

    “He was wrong to go in there [Iraq]... but Donald Trump has not shown any interest in whether Venezuela is a democracy or a dictatorship. It's all about Donald.” (24:38)

  • "Trump in his first year has declared war against every country. Because if he didn’t attack you militarily, he attacked you economically with the tariff tax." (22:51)

• On Gubernatorial Platform:

  • “Declare an emergency on day one all across the state... give every agency 90 days to approve or deny every outstanding application. A goal without a deadline is a dream.” (27:29)
  • “I want us to be a state where you can take your first job, have your first kid and buy your first home in the same decade. And that has to be the California promise.” (28:17)
  • “If you break the law, your masks are not going to be welcome in our state and your officers will not be able to drive in our state if they conduct masked unidentified operations.” (30:48)

Important Timestamps

• ICE Shooting, Initial Reaction: 00:16 – 07:16
• ICE Tactics & Political Context: 03:03 – 11:16
• Mayoral, State, and Legal Response: 08:29 – 11:16
• Federal Policy Under Trump: 16:19 – 24:40
• Swalwell’s Gubernatorial Vision: 24:40 – 31:57

Final Thoughts

The episode balances grave outrage with sharp humor and analysis—zeroing in on the ICE shooting as a symbol of the country's political and social unraveling under Trump’s second term. Swalwell leverages both legal and legislative expertise to advocate for local resistance and state leadership in protecting civil rights and democratic norms. A raucous endorsement of bold, big-city progressive tactics, the episode ends with Swalwell soliciting “what can I do to bring less stress to your life?”—a closing encapsulation of the “no bullshit, real talk” Find Out Podcast mantra.