The study identified immigration as a central issue in 2025, highlighted by a violent incident at an ICE detention facility in Dallas, where a gunman shot three detainees before taking his own life. President Trump blamed the attack on what he called dangerous rhetoric from \u201cradical left Democrats,\u201d suggesting such language incited violence.<\/p>\n
The study\u2019s authors stressed that while political leaders aren’t directly accountable for extremists, they are responsible for how they address extremism. Both Republicans and Democrats were urged to denounce violence within their own ranks and to promote calm when discussing their political opponents.<\/p>\n
Despite this call for restraint, some Democratic figures have continued to use inflammatory language, accusing Trump administration officials and Republicans of being \u201cNazis,\u201d \u201cfascists,\u201d and \u201cthreats to democracy.\u201d This hostile discourse was noted as a factor contributing to a volatile political climate.<\/p>\n
The alleged Dallas shooter, Joshua Jahn, left behind handwritten notes accusing ICE agents of \u201chuman trafficking.\u201d This echoes statements from several Democratic lawmakers. For example, in June, Rep. Maxwell Frost accused ICE of \u201ckidnapping people\u201d and \u201chuman trafficking,\u201d echoing the same controversial framing used by the shooter.<\/p>\n
In July, despite private appeals from the White House to moderate their language, some Democrats persisted. California Governor Gavin Newsom, seen as a likely 2028 presidential candidate, described ICE as a \u201cprivate domestic army\u201d on national television, linking it to authoritarianism under Trump.<\/p>\n
Other Democrats followed suit. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz compared ICE to a \u201cmodern-day Gestapo,\u201d and Rep. Rashida Tlaib labeled Trump\u2019s D.C. crime policies as a \u201cfascist takeover.\u201d During the 2024 campaign, then\u2013Vice President Kamala Harris openly referred to Trump as a \u201cfascist,\u201d reinforcing the extreme language that the study warns could further inflame tensions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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