Podcast Summary: The Five – "Some Border Patrol Agents Leaving MN Tomorrow"

Date: January 26, 2026
Host & Panel: Dana Perino, Kayleigh McEnany, Jessica Tarlov, Jesse Watters, Joey Jones
Podcast: FOX News Podcasts – The Five

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode of "The Five" centers on breaking developments out of Minnesota regarding the Border Patrol’s imminent withdrawal from Minneapolis following controversial incidents involving ICE, local officials, and the fallout from a deadly law enforcement encounter. The panel debates the political, legal, and social ramifications, the looming government shutdown over ICE funding, winter storm chaos, and the upcoming midterm conventions, with their signature mix of news analysis, spirited disagreement, and humor.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Breaking News: Border Patrol Pullout and State-Level Conflict (00:19–16:02)

Key Details

• Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino and some of his agents are set to leave Minneapolis, following a deadly altercation involving ICE and a protester, Alex Preddy.
• The decision comes as former acting ICE director Tom Homan is dispatched to Minnesota, reflecting intense federal-local standoff on immigration enforcement.
• President Trump called Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, urging cooperation and transfer of criminal illegal aliens. Walz maintains the state honors all federal detainer requests, although panelists dispute this.

Panel Commentary & Debate

• Jesse Watters (04:21):
  “The governor of Minnesota is in open rebellion. He has called ICE agents, Nazis. He's told the people to get in their face and to kick them out of the state. And now it's like a low level insurgency...”
  He compares state resistance to an insurgency and criticizes public tactics against ICE.

• Jessica Tarlov and Kayleigh McEnany debate the facts and framing of the shooting of Alex Preddy, focusing on whether the use of force was excessive and the precedent it sets for rights and responsibilities regarding firearms, protest, and law enforcement.

• Joey Jones provides perspective as a gun owner and veteran, underscoring the necessity of responsibility when carrying weapons:
  (12:00)
  “The Second amendment is a right... Those rights come with restrictions. I think you would understand that more than anyone at this table. One of those restrictions is you have to have your ID and your permit on you. We don't know. Current reports are he didn't have either one of those on, at which point he's not carrying legally.”

Memorable Quotes

• Jessica Tarlov (8:22):
  “Shouldn't you know where the gun is before you kill somebody?”
• Kayleigh McEnany (11:06):
  “...The responsible way to handle this is to say: one, it is a tragedy anytime a US citizen dies... Number two, we call for an investigation because we don't arrive at conclusions.”
• Joey Jones (15:29):
  “There is only one person in this world that could have absolutely prevented Alex Priddy from getting shot that day. And it's Alex Priddy. Doesn't mean I think he should have been shot. I don't think it was necessary whatsoever to shoot Alex Priddy to save a life...”

2. Political Fallout: Government Shutdown over ICE Funding (16:57–24:18)

Key Details

• Democrats, led by Chuck Schumer, threaten a shutdown unless DHS funding (specifically ICE dollars) is removed from new budgets.
• Internal party conflict is exposed, with some Democrats demanding ICE’s abolition and the impeachment of DHS chief Kristi Noem.
• Kayleigh observes that most ICE funding is already locked in until 2029, making the shutdown threats more about symbolism and appealing to the activist base.

Highlights

• Jesse Watters (19:14):
  “Whatever deal [Walz] makes with Trump might decide how they handle this in Congress... This is what the Democrats did. They worked with cartels and the third World to have the greatest human trafficking operation in world history poured in the United States...”
  He blames Democrats for policies he believes are fueling chaos.

• Jessica Tarlov (21:10):
  “They want it split up in the minibus bill…so that you could actually get your hands on money that would be going towards ICE specifically versus other parts of DHS that you do want funded…”
  She describes legislative nuances in the funding fight.

Notable Exchange

• Kayleigh McEnany and Jessica Tarlov spar over partisan blame for recent law enforcement tragedies and the increasingly negative public perception of ICE (22:42).

Memorable Quote

• Kayleigh McEnany (23:09):
  “You want to end this now? Do what Donald Trump has asked. End sanctuary city jurisdictions, CBP and ICE... This is where police come in. And when you have a sanctuary city jurisdiction that doesn't allow local law enforcement to work with ICE…what do you get? 60% of violent interactions... in blue jurisdictions.”

3. Winter Storm & Infrastructure Resilience (01:02–02:22, 32:17–35:55)

Key Details

• A massive winter storm affects over 150 million Americans, bringing power outages (notably in Tennessee), record low temperatures, and airline chaos.
• Moments of levity include viral videos of snow sports on city streets and discussion of politicians shoveling snow for publicity.

Highlights

• Dana Perino (33:41):
  “Over the weekend…when you had the power cut out, there was this resurgence of, guess what? Coal, natural gas and nuclear power. So just like there's no atheist in a foxhole, when you need the power on, you will take it from wherever you can get it.”

• Panelists share personal anecdotes about coping with the storm, combining seriousness and humor.

4. 2026 Midterm Conventions & Party Divisions (24:44–31:23)

Key Details

• Both parties consider holding big “midterm conventions”—with the RNC branding theirs as "Trumpapalooza."
• Polling reveals historically low approval for Democratic congressional leaders among their own party, fueling speculation on the future of party leadership.

Panel Perspectives

• Kayleigh McEnany (26:42):
  “...When you do comparative polling, people don't like the Democrats. And when you say... compare Republicans and Democrats, Republicans are plus 28 on border security... I want to see contrasting visions. I want to see Donald Trump's vision, Republicans and Democrats vision...”

• Jessica Tarlov (27:48):
  “I think that means, based on the fact that Republicans are rated higher than Democrats, but Donald Trump has terrible ratings on every single issue that matters to voters, that you should actually keep Donald Trump off the trail... if you have Donald Trump out there every night in our faces, we are definitely going to show up.”

• Joey Jones (29:53):
  “Where's Republican leadership on this?... I think there's a lot of Republicans in Congress that would be just fine being in the minority so they could complain about everything, raise money and be in position to be in power next time around. And that scares me.”

5. Closing: Lighthearted Topics and “One More Thing” (36:00–41:49)

The show winds down with humorous discussions about:

• Hotels eliminating bathroom doors (“It was so disgusting. I actually moved hotels because I'm like, I have no peace. I have no privacy.” – Kayleigh, 36:41)
• A viral goat rescue in Spain, a shirtless Florida man attempting to rob Taco Bell with a rock, and winter duck migrations in Idaho.
• Panelists poke fun at each other about bad hotel designs, hunting laws, snow day memories, with the banter alternating between playful and sardonic.

Notable Quotes & Moments (With Timestamps)

• Jesse Watters (04:21):
  "[Minnesota] is like a low level insurgency. There's very sophisticated communication tactics. There's like food drops, there's supply chains. It's crazy.”

• Jessica Tarlov (08:22):
  “Shouldn't you know [where the gun is] before you kill somebody?”

• Joey Jones (12:00):
  “The Second amendment is a right... Those rights come with restrictions. One of those restrictions is you have to have your ID and your permit on you. We don't know... if he had either one.”

• Kayleigh McEnany (11:06):
  “The responsible way to handle this is... we call for an investigation because we don't arrive at conclusions.”

• Kayleigh McEnany (26:42):
  “[Republicans] are plus 28 on border security, plus 11 on immigration, plus 6 on economy…”

• Jessica Tarlov (27:48):
  “…if you have Donald Trump out there every night in our faces, we are definitely going to show up.”

• Joey Jones (29:53):
  “…a lot of Republicans in Congress... would be just fine being in the minority so they could complain about everything, raise money and be in position to be in power next time around. And that scares me.”

Timestamps of Important Segments

• 00:19–04:21: Introduction, Border Patrol withdrawal news, President Trump’s call to Minnesota’s governor
• 04:21–07:37: Jesse Watters’ critique of Minnesota’s opposition to ICE, discussion of operational tactics
• 07:49–16:02: Heated debate over Alex Preddy shooting, rights and responsibilities of gun owners, law enforcement conduct, and political response
• 16:57–19:06: Democrats’ shutdown threat over ICE funding and party strategy
• 19:06–24:18: Broader political assessment of ICE, immigration policy, and jurisdictional conflicts
• 24:44–31:23: 2026 midterms, polling, convention strategy, and intra-party leadership divisions
• 32:17–35:55: Winter storm impacts, infrastructure, and coping anecdotes
• 36:00–41:49: Lighter closing topics ("One More Thing")—hotel door debate, animal stories, hunting, viral videos

Language & Tone

The panel is combative, witty, and colloquial—alternating between sharp policy critique and laugh-out-loud moments. They remain true to their ideological perspectives while occasionally surprising each other with moments of agreement or empathy.

Conclusion

This episode of "The Five" is a whirlwind of political hot takes and breaking news, centered on Minnesota’s standoff over immigration enforcement. It delves into the broader reverberations—government funding battles, public opinion polarization, and 2026 electoral maneuvering—showcasing why "The Five" remains a leading venue for high-energy, ideologically diverse debate on national events.