Podcast Summary: The Tony Kennett Cast – Ep. 480

Title: Illinois & Minnesota Sue Homeland Security for Enforcing Fed. Law, Dems Try to Fund ISIS
Date: January 13, 2026
Host: Tony Kennett (The Daily Signal senior investigative columnist)

Episode Overview

This episode delves into ongoing confrontations between federal and state governments over immigration enforcement. Tony Kennett discusses Minnesota and Illinois’s lawsuits against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/ICE for enforcing federal immigration laws, highlights heated rhetoric from state officials, and exposes Democratic efforts to direct funds to questionable organizations—including a group with alleged ISIS ties. The episode also scrutinizes broader left-wing reactions, corruption scandals, and answers listener questions on federal vs. state authority.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Escalating Unrest in Iran

• Kennett begins by addressing U.S. State Department alerts urging Americans to leave Iran due to widespread protests and government violence. He draws comparisons to past unrest, emphasizing the severity of the current events.
  • “The country’s internet has been out for days… between 800 and 1500 protesters [are] estimated killed.” (03:00)

2. Critiquing Left-Wing Comparisons Between U.S. and Iran

• DNC leader Ken Martin is criticized for equating American law enforcement actions with Iranian authoritarianism.
  • Tony mocks the comparison, calling it “one of the dumbest things” and pointing out U.S. due process standards versus Iran’s brutality.
  • “If you really believe that Iran and the United States, oh, they're both like dictatorships … you need to go touch some grass, eat a steak, take a deep breath.” (05:10)

3. Minnesota’s Lawsuit Against DHS/ICE

• Context: Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison sues DHS, claiming ICE’s operations violate state sovereignty.
• Ellison’s main arguments: ICE’s actions are “unlawful,” “unprecedented,” and target Minnesota’s diversity/democracy.
  • Tony’s rebuttals:
    • “Unprecedented” is irrelevant as precedent is broken all the time.
    • No actual law cited by Ellison as being violated.
    • 10th Amendment misrepresented—a state can’t shield residents from federal immigration law.
    • “The federal law is that you cannot enter the United States and then evade ICE… you can't avoid law enforcement while you're here and then participate illegally in its economy, its society, etc.” (09:00)
• Clips of Ellison decrying “armed, aggressive and poorly trained” ICE agents, to which Tony responds that law enforcement being armed is common sense.

Notable Quote

• Ellison: “We allege that the surge [has a] reckless impact on our schools, on our local law enforcement...” (09:55)
• Tony: “You close your schools and then your people threw snowballs and rocks at your own police department. ... Now, admittedly, it's a little colder outside, so those rocks and snowballs sting a little bit more.” (10:02)

4. Illinois Joins the Lawsuit

• AG Kwame Raoul characterizes ICE as militarized occupiers, dramatizing their presence with phrases like “tear gas, chemical weapons, rubber bullets, masked men... instruments of war.”
  • Tony satirizes this “scary nouns” rhetoric, poking fun at the theatricality and Hollywood comparisons.
  • AG Raoul also leans on state sovereignty arguments, lamenting having to defend Illinois from “attacks by the United States government.”

Notable Exchange

• Raoul: “Uniformed, military-trained personnel … military grade weaponry.” (19:33)
• Tony: “Military grade stuff usually sucks. Ask guys fresh out of boot.” (19:45)
• Points out that real law enforcement (even Treasury agents) carry arms, and AG Raoul’s Hollywood concept of “occupiers” is uninformed.

5. Left-Wing Obstruction and ICE Enforcement

• Tony details incidents where activists physically block ICE, including the case of Renee Goode—praised as a martyr by the left, criticized by Tony for obstructing federal law.
• Footage reveals activists directly breaking the law by impeding law enforcement.
  • “People in the comments, even those on the left, are pointing out they're clearly like breaking the law...” (13:10)

6. Blue States’ Tactics vs. Red States’ Cooperation

• Left accuses Trump administration of targeting blue states (Minnesota, California, Illinois), alleging that these actions are meant to spark violence.
• Tony counters: When red states like Florida cooperate with ICE, there are no riots—only blue states cause chaos by noncompliance.
  • “When you work with the federal government ... no chaos required.” (29:00)

7. Ilhan Omar and Fraud / Earmarks Controversy

• Ilhan Omar under multiple investigations (immigration fraud, association with fraudsters in Somali migrant community, campaign finance issues).
• Tony and guest Mike Howell reveal new findings: Democratic lawmakers (Omar and Klobuchar) inserted earmarks for a Somali-run nonprofit in Minneapolis with alleged ISIS ties. Initial viral exposure led to its removal from the spending bill—but new attempts are ongoing.
• Mike Howell: “Guess what, they got ties to ISIS. ... The Republicans were shamed enough, they took that one earmark out, left the rest in.” (36:42)
• The lack of response from Omar or Klobuchar is seen as tacit guilt or desire to avoid media scrutiny.

On Democratic Political Strategy

• “Fraud is a governing strategy… You get money and resources through any means, legal or illegal, to your voter constituencies.” (42:18, Howell)

8. Federal Policy Moves and Remittance Restrictions

• New Treasury policies aim to curb benefit money being sent abroad (e.g., from migrants on public assistance sending cash to Somalia).
• Evidence of cash-filled suitcases being shipped to Somalia from Minneapolis airport has surfaced again, raising alarming questions about ongoing fraud.

9. Paid Protesters and Media Narratives

• Tony relates reports (re: Daily Wire, Fox) of “paid agitators” showing up to ICE-related protests, further blurring lines between activism and lawbreaking.
  • “She was a agitator, probably a paid agitator… a very high level agitator, so professional.” (48:00, discussing President Trump’s comments on agitators)

10. Listener Q&A: Federal Power, State Defiance, and Legal Outcomes

• Tony answers questions about whether states can ignore or hinder immigration law:
  • States can be sued/arrested for direct obstruction or insurrection.
  • Treason vs. sedition vs. insurrection explained.
  • Lawsuits from MN and IL are likely DOA in appeals or Supreme Court.
• Tom Holman (former ICE Director) reaffirms: “I've never met a law enforcement officer that came to me and says he does not support the removal of criminal aliens. Makes our community safer.” (75:25)
• Analogy: The federal government as the parent who has to intervene when the states (“the kids in the backseat”) break the rules.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Ken Martin’s Iran Comparison

  “If you really believe that Iran and the United States… are both like dictatorships… you need to go touch some grass.” — Tony (05:10)

• On AG Ellison’s Legal Claims

  “In the lawsuit, it has never specified what laws Keith Ellison believes ICE is violating…” — Tony (08:00)

• Satirizing Illinois AG’s Rhetoric

  “‘Military grade weaponry’—what does that mean? … Military grade stuff usually sucks.” — Tony (19:45)

• On Law Enforcement Being Armed

  “In common sense, yes, police officers should be armed. Makes sense.” — Tony (11:36)

• On Blue vs Red State Enforcement Outcomes

  “When you work with federal law enforcement… no chaos required.” — Tony (29:00)

• On Democratic Earmarks Allegedly Funding ISIS

  “...None other than Alon Omar and Senator Klobuchar up there in Minnesota put in an earmark for a Somali-led organization... they got ties to isis.” — Mike Howell (36:42)

• On Modern Democratic Politics

  “Fraud is a governing strategy… you get money and resources through any means, legal or illegal.” — Mike Howell (42:18)

• On Activist Tactics

  “You have weird beta dudes… protesting with rape whistles, and then you have menopausal liberal ladies…” — Tony (50:50)

Important Timestamps & Segments

• 00:34 — State Department alert on Iran unrest; warning to Americans to leave.
• 05:00–07:00 — Critique of Ken Martin’s U.S.-Iran authoritarianism parallels.
• 07:30–13:00 — Minnesota AG’s press conference clips; Tony’s legal rebuttals.
• 15:23–20:40 — Illinois AG Raoul’s statements (“military grade weaponry”); Tony’s lampooning.
• 24:20–28:00 — Portland police chief laments ICE actions; Tony’s skeptical commentary.
• 29:00–31:00 — Blue state violence vs. red state cooperation; case study of Florida’s ICE partnership.
• 36:42–43:23 — Mike Howell exposes Congressional earmarks funding alleged ISIS-linked group.
• 43:43–47:00 — Treasury’s new remittance restrictions; ongoing fraud with cash transfers.
• 48:00–50:50 — Tony and Trump discuss paid agitators/protesters at ICE events.
• 64:52–76:22 — Listener Q&A: state/federal legal conflicts, sedition vs. treason, ICE’s role, real-world enforcement analogy.

Tone & Style

Tony is irreverent, sarcastic, and direct, frequently using humor or mockery (“touch some grass,” “full kit—your camera, your other camera, and your rape whistle”) to underscore points. The delivery is fast-paced and colloquial, with occasional asides and pop culture references to lampoon political opponents.

Conclusion

This wide-ranging episode of The Tony Kennett Cast dissects the legal and political hostilities between blue states and the federal government over immigration enforcement. Tony rebuts state-level claims of federal overreach, exposes the mechanics of Democratic fraud and media obfuscation, and fields questions on constitutional law and state authority. The episode closes with a reminder that the core divide is not over legality, but over willingness to cooperate with federal law—and who ultimately gets to enforce it.

For full context, timestamps above refer to the original episode transcript.