Podcast Summary: The Joy Reid Show

Episode: King Day 2026: MLK & Immigrants Yes, ICE Tyrants: No
Host: Joy-Ann Reid
Date: January 20, 2026

Overview

On this Martin Luther King Jr. Day special, Joy-Ann Reid leads a powerful, live discussion focused on the legacy of Dr. King and his message as it relates to today’s urgent issues: the rights and treatment of immigrants, the rise of white Christian nationalism, the violence of ICE and Border Patrol tactics—particularly in Minnesota—and the ongoing struggle for justice and multiracial democracy in America. Featuring an all-star panel of civil rights leaders, journalists, and activists, the episode weaves in historical context, recent protests against ICE, the complicity of certain Christian leaders, and calls for the abolition or radical reform of ICE. Special guests include Don Lemon, Reverend Mark Thompson, Dr. Bernice A. King, Yossi Ross, Amelia Gonzalez Avalos, Jolly Good Ginger, and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. MLK’s Legacy & The Struggle for Justice

• Both Joy and panelists open with reflections on Dr. King’s powerful message of unrelenting perseverance in the pursuit of justice and dignity for all, invoking both his words and those of Langston Hughes.
  • Joy: “If you can't fly, run. If you can't run, walk. If you can't walk, crawl. But by all means, keep moving.” [01:01]
• Dr. King is contrasted as America’s true moral King, not to be confused with others aspiring to such power.

2. ICE Violence & Immigrants’ Rights

• Detail of recent violence in Minnesota, particularly the killing of Renee Nicole Good by ICE agents—drawing historical parallel to civil rights martyrs.
  • Joy: “How dare you claim to be a pastor of God and you are involved in evil in our community.” [02:38]
• Exposure of Pastor David Easterwood, who is simultaneously a church leader and the local ICE field office director, sparking outrage and protest when uncovered.
  • Protesters highlight the hypocrisy: “To have someone serving as a pastor who oversees these ICE agents is almost unfathomable to me.” – Nikima Levy Armstrong [04:15]
• Reports of ICE abuses targeting even Native Americans, e.g., tribal members of the Oglala Sioux, and the deep irony of ICE questioning indigenous citizenship.
  • “There’s nobody more American than American Indians, but they were unable to find them here today.” – Don Lemon [18:44]

3. Church & State: Complicity & Resistance

• Critique of white Christian nationalism and the entangling of religious leadership with state-sanctioned violence.
  • Joy: “It makes no sense to be a deporter, an actual deporter, and then claim to be a lover and follower of Jesus. It makes no sense. None.” [08:47]
• Notable tension: Pastor/Easterwood & ICE's dual roles spark local and national outrage.

4. The Backlash Against Civil Rights & Journalism

• Threats of prosecution against Don Lemon for covering protests, possibly under Reconstruction-era laws.
  • Don Lemon: “It’s a bit surprising to me that I've become the face of a protest that I have no ties to ... I was simply covering ... I was there as a journalist.” [29:08]
  • He warns of attempts to “frighten journalists away from covering this story.” [30:22]
• Panelists link current white backlash to the historical cycles of Reconstruction and resistance to Black advancement.

5. Rise of White Christian Nationalism & Replacement Theory

• Detailed, emotionally charged discussion about how white Christian nationalism underpins ICE violence.
  • Jolly Good Ginger: “They opened the Bible and they made Jesus white. I learned most of the hate and bigotry that was built into me ... from the church.” [48:36]
• Viral clips of right-wing provocateurs (e.g., Jake Lang) expose the rawness of racist and xenophobic rhetoric in “replacement” fears.
  • “They do not have any love in their hearts. They are here to dominate.” – Jake Lang, quoted/commented on by Joy [53:45]
• Mark Thompson links current MAGA reaction to centuries-old white supremacy psychology and the fear-driven basis of American racism.

6. Multiracial Solidarity in Minnesota and Beyond

• Mutual support among Black, Indigenous, Latino, and other communities in the face of state violence.
  • Amelia Gonzalez Avalos: “What you’re seeing right now is an actual organic embodiment of multiracial solidarity.” [37:13]
• Minnesota as a microcosm of national struggle, with overlapping immigrant, Black, and Indigenous organizing.

7. Data & Detention: The ICE Machine

• Joy and panelists present data showing mass detentions and deportations under Trump compared to Obama—with key distinctions about due process being stripped away.
  • “Now ... only 28% of the people ... have ever had a criminal conviction.” – Joy [40:05]; Yossi Ross: “The difference between when Obama did this was the courts were the refuge ... Now, we’re being told ... no accountability.” [38:03]

8. Calls to Abolish or Radically Reform ICE

• Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal advocates for dismantling DHS, noting its creation post-9/11 and its unaccountable, lawless nature.
  • “For years I have been calling to completely disband DHS ... this agency has become a complete force for violating constitutional rights.” [81:46]
  • Critiques democratic leadership for being overly cautious on abolition: “We have the moment. They don’t come around that often.” [89:28]
• Joy highlights ICE’s lack of foundational legality and the racist roots of U.S. immigration enforcement.

9. Surveillance State & Exported Tactics

• ICE’s use of advanced surveillance technology (“WeBlock”) on communities and the import of military tactics from Israeli occupation into U.S. policing.
  • Joy: “They’re not only using facial recognition ... they’re able to track neighborhoods.” [73:02]
  • “Both ICE and the Israeli army ... behave as unaccountable occupying forces.” [75:10]

10. Dr. Bernice King on Strategy, Nonviolence, and Solidarity

• Interview segments: Dr. King urges collective, strategic, cross-community action, rooted in wisdom and nonviolence—“We have to find a collective way and a coordinated and cohesive way to stand up to what is happening in today's society and use wisdom.” [24:19]
• Reflects on Kingian nonviolence for America’s future: “If we can start again from a nonviolent, love-centered way in everything that we do ... we will honor the dignity, worth, and value of every human.” [99:45]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“You cannot be an anti-immigrant Christian. Jesus admonished his followers to love the stranger. When Jesus was himself a refugee, to be an anti-immigrant Christian makes zero sense.”
— Joy Reid [08:47]

“Fear is their God ... Diversity is nothing to fear. Humanity is nothing to fear. Human rights is nothing to fear.”
— Reverend Mark Thompson [54:36]

“If we listen to the Black, Brown, and Indigenous community at any time during the past, we wouldn’t be here.”
— Jolly Good Ginger [48:36]

“We have technology that we can use ... although there’s already a lot of technology being used against us with surveillance and new facial recognition ...”
— Amelia Gonzalez Avalos [44:16]

“Their Jesus, we call them Jim Crow Jesus. That’s who they worship ... I learned most of the hate and bigotry that that was built into me. I learned it from the church.”
— Jolly Good Ginger [48:36]

“This agency has become a complete force for violating constitutional rights of U.S. citizens and non-citizens alike. The task ... is to dismantle DHS as an agency.”
— Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal [81:46]

“We have to defeat injustice without becoming unjust ... I would give you Kingian nonviolence ...”
— Dr. Bernice King [99:45]

Important Timestamps

• [01:01] – Joy’s opening reflections on Dr. King’s message of perseverance
• [02:38] – Commentary on ICE violence and Pastor David Easterwood’s dual role
• [04:15] – Protesters respond to ICE and clergy hypocrisy (Nikima Levy Armstrong)
• [18:44] – Don Lemon reports on ICE detaining Indigenous Americans in Minnesota
• [22:56] – Interview with Dr. Bernice King: on violence in Minneapolis and Kingian response
• [28:23] – Don Lemon on threats for his journalism and covering ICE protests
• [40:05] – Discussion on ICE targeting people without criminal convictions, steep rise in no-due-process deportations
• [44:00] – Bernice King and Amelia Gonzalez reflect on drawing strength from resistance and faith, Harriet Tubman example
• [48:36] – Jolly Good Ginger exposes racist roots of white Christian nationalism
• [53:45] – Far-right “replacement theory” rhetoric and panel reaction
• [81:46] – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal: “We must disband DHS”
• [99:45] – Dr. Bernice King on gift to America: nonviolence as policy and principle

Panel Members

• Reverend Mark Thompson – Civil rights organizer and host, delivered historical grounding and prophetic critique.
• Don Lemon – Journalist, reported firsthand on protests and ICE abuses, highlighted attacks on press freedom.
• Dr. Bernice A. King – CEO of The King Center, delivered the Kingian philosophy in contemporary context.
• Yossi Ross – Civil rights attorney and member of the Blackfeet Indian Nation, analyzed legal perils and racism.
• Amelia Gonzalez Avalos – Unidos Minnesota, brought perspective from immigrant and Dreamer activism.
• Jolly Good Ginger – White anti-racist activist, critiqued white Christian nationalism from insider experience.
• Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal – Advocated for abolition of ICE/DHS and reform of immigration.
• Steve Schmidt – Political strategist, emphasized multiracial patriotism and historical cycles of courage and resistance.

Tone & Style

Joy-Ann Reid balances informed outrage with optimism and humor—encouraging “joyful resistance” and multiracial solidarity. Guests echo her moral urgency, alternating between historical depth, lived experience, and calls for action. The tone, while serious, is often irreverent and includes witty barbs at institutions, politicians, and right-wing agitators.

Conclusion

This live King Day edition of The Joy Reid Show delivered a vital, intersectional discussion about Dr. King’s living legacy—directly tying his nonviolent, inclusive vision to the urgent fight against ICE, white Christian nationalism, unchecked state violence, and creeping authoritarianism. Through memorable stories, incisive data, and moral clarity, it underscores the power and necessity of multiracial, multifaith solidarity for the future of American democracy.

Further Resources

• Freedom From Religion Foundation
• Unidos Minnesota
• The Make It Plain Podcast (Reverend Mark Thompson)
• Follow independent journalism: 404 Media, Status Coup News, Zateo News, Perfect Union

Happy MLK Day. “We must keep moving.”