The Tara Palmeri Show

Episode: HEATED ICE Defense: NY GOP Gov Candidate Doubles Down After Pretti Death
Date: February 1, 2026
Host: Tara Palmeri
Guest: Bruce Blakeman, Nassau County Executive & NY GOP Gubernatorial Candidate

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the fallout from the high-profile killing of Alex Preddy by ICE agents, as Tara Palmeri presses Bruce Blakeman on his unwavering support for ICE and a hardline immigration agenda—policies he's spotlighting in his run for New York governor. The episode is marked by tense exchanges, with Palmeri holding Blakeman to account over his rhetoric, his reaction to the killing, and his positions on immigration and law enforcement, especially as even the Trump camp is moderating its stance. The episode offers an inside look at the evolving political landscape on immigration in New York and the U.S.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Blakeman's Defense of ICE & Policing Immigrants

• Blakeman touts Nassau County’s partnership with ICE: He claims their approach is targeted at removing “illegal migrants with criminal records,” not broad raids.
  • “Just recently, we removed 46 illegal migrants with criminal records ranging from attempted murder and rape to robbery, carjacking and other crimes…27 of them were involved in gang activity.” (04:11–05:16)
• Cites lack of faith in New York criminal justice system: Criticizes cashless bail and suggests ICE is an important tool because state judges must release repeat offenders.
  • “In New York State, with cashless bail, if someone commits a crime, in many instances a judge has no discretion. They have to let them back out.” (05:26)

2. Views on Immigration Reform

• Claims to support pragmatic solutions: Advocates for guest worker programs and normalization for long-term, law-abiding undocumented immigrants.
  • “I am for a guest worker program...for having people who've been here, let's say, seven to ten years, they're law abiding, they are gainfully employed...I don't think it's a great idea to rip them out of communities.” (06:02–06:29)
• Blames legislative stalemate on political extremes:
  • “You have the far left who want an open border policy...and the far right who use this as an issue to raise money. The reality is most people are somewhere in the middle.” (07:45–08:09)

3. Preddy Killing: Heated Exchange and Video Evidence

• Direct confrontation over Alex Preddy’s death:
  • Palmeri repeatedly presses Blakeman to acknowledge the injustice.
  • “Do you still think that Alex Preddy deserved to die?” (08:28, 09:09, 10:08)
• Blakeman's response centers on due process and broader context:
  • “That’s a ridiculous question...It’s not whether or not he deserved to die. The question is, is it legal, and is it good for the community...to have people throw bottles and rocks at federal law enforcement?” (09:09–09:14)
  • “You weren’t there...We all saw the video. I saw two different videos. Why the rush to judgment? Why don't you just wait till the investigation is complete?” (09:53–10:01)
• Palmeri pushes back:
  • “If I killed somebody, I would be in detention until an investigation was over.” (12:05)
  • “We all saw it. The guy was on his hands and knees, okay? Even the administration admits...” (12:28)

4. Media Critique & Claims of Bias

• Blakeman accuses Palmeri of editorializing:
  • “You're the judge and jury on the ICE agent...You're arguing a point of view. What you're doing is using the name journalism to get your point of view across. It’s not journalism.” (10:12, 14:33, 14:50)
• Palmeri asserts commitment to facts:
  • “I am, okay. I am stating the facts as we have all seen them...” (11:12)
• Both push on the meaning and obligations of journalism and due process.

5. Claims of Paid Agitators & Protest Legitimacy

• Blakeman alleges protests are orchestrated:
  • “The unrest in Minneapolis is being staged and driven by paid professional agitators...They're the same people that show up at Antifa...some of them were at pro Palestinian rallies.” (13:17–13:30)
• Pressed for evidence, offers only generalities:
  • “We have plenty of evidence. We know who these people are.” (13:25)

6. Voter Sentiment and ICE Polling

• Palmeri references 61% opposition to masked ICE arrests (Siena poll, Nov. 2025):
  • “61% of New Yorkers actually oppose masked ICE agents, okay, and their arrests...” (18:05)
• Blakeman dismisses poll validity and touts personal electoral success:
  • “I am not one that believes every poll is accurate...I just won reelection in a landslide.” (19:32–19:50)
• Disputes Palmeri’s characterization of his county:
  • “My county is a mirror image of New York State...110,000 more Democrats...I won in a landslide.” (19:54–20:10)

7. Transparency, Press, and Governance

• Blakeman claims availability and belief in journalism:
  • “I'm probably the most available politician you'll ever find...I believe in freedom of the press.” (15:13)
• Also doubles down on policy:
  • “I will make the people in New York State happy again...by making it more affordable, by making it safer, by lowering their energy bills, by cutting their taxes...” (22:54–23:11)
• Remains unapologetic on ICE cooperation:
  • “What I would tell you is I would work with ICE to conduct the same operations that they're doing in my county, which U.S. News World Report says is the safest county in America.” (17:11)

8. Election Prospects & Trump Ties

• Blakeman confident despite fundraising gap:
  • Emphasizes message of taxpayer protection and anti-immigrant spending.
• Confirms Trump endorsement, but distances himself from presidential race:
  • “President Trump has endorsed me. He supports my campaign and I welcome his support...but I’m running for governor, not president...” (26:00)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“You know, that's a ridiculous question. Come on, you can ask a better question than that.”
— Bruce Blakeman on whether Alex Preddy ‘deserved to die’ (09:09)

“It's not whether or not he deserved to die. The question is, is it legal and is it good for the community...to have people throw bottles and rocks at federal law enforcement?”
— Bruce Blakeman (09:14)

“If I killed somebody, I would be in detention until an investigation was over.”
— Tara Palmeri (12:05)

“You're the judge and jury on the ICE agent.”
— Bruce Blakeman (10:12)

“We all saw the video. I saw two different videos...Why the rush to judgment?”
— Bruce Blakeman (09:54–10:01)

“We have plenty of evidence. We know who these people are. They're the same people that show up at Antifa...”
— Bruce Blakeman (13:25–13:28)

“If you think I'm editorializing, wait till you get pressed by the city reporters there.”
— Tara Palmeri (15:07)

“I will make the people in New York State happy again because they're miserable under Kathy Hochul...”
— Bruce Blakeman (22:54–23:11)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• ICE & Local Enforcement: Results and Approach — 04:11–05:25
• Views on Immigration Reform and Policy Gridlock — 06:02–08:23
• Preddy Death, Video Evidence, and Rush to Judgment — 09:09–10:08, 12:01–12:39
• Media Critique, Allegations of Bias — 14:33–14:57
• Allegations of Staged Protests & Agitators — 13:17–13:52
• Voter Opinions, Polls, and Blakeman’s Electoral Arguments — 18:05–20:10
• Question of Transparency and Governance Vision — 15:13, 22:54–23:11
• Election Strategy, Fundraising, and Trump Support — 23:11–26:00

Conclusion

The episode is a fast-paced, hard-hitting exchange that exposes the deep divides and heated rhetoric in New York’s immigration debate. Palmeri is relentless in pressing Blakeman, who remains unwavering in his support of ICE and positions himself as a pragmatic, tough-on-crime, pro-law enforcement candidate. While acknowledging the need for broader immigration reform, Blakeman blames legislative paralysis on extremist factions and maintains that targeted ICE operations have kept his county safe.

Memorable for its intensity, the episode encapsulates the raw emotion and political high-stakes around immigration policy in an election year, particularly after high-profile incidents of violence and shifting positions at the national party level.