‘Insane': Joe Rogan turns on Donald Trump over immigration raids
Joe Rogan says the Trump administration's immigration raids on workplaces are 'insane', declaring the federal government would be better off targeting 'cartel members,' 'gang members' and 'drug dealers.'
The hugely popular podcaster also said during Wednesday's episode of the Joe Rogan Experience that he didn't agree with the administration's detention of a green card holder and a graduate student over criticism of Israel.
Joe Rogan said the Trump administration's immigration raids on workplaces that have resulted in roundups of undocumented laborers are 'insane.' Picture: YouTube
Rogan offered up his comments as the Trump administration resumed and intensified rounding up undocumented labourers, reversing a brief mid-June pause that had applied to sectors like agriculture, hospitality and food processing.
Despite earlier assurances that these industries might receive temporary relief, ICE has carried out large-scale enforcement actions — including at meat packing plants and restaurants — detaining over 100,000 individuals in June.
Business leaders have warned the raids will lead to severe labour shortages.
'It's insane,' Rogan said during a chat with tech entrepreneur Amjad Masad.
'We were told there would be no — well, there's two things that are insane.
One is the targeting of migrant workers. Not cartel members, not gang members, not drug dealers. Just construction workers. Showing up in construction sites, raiding them. Gardeners. Like, really?'
100 undocumented immigrants arrested on Florida construction site. Picture: X/HSI Tampa
National Guard soldiers stand guard at a federal building in Los Angeles as protesters held a "No Kings Day" demonstration, which has been the focus of protests against Trump's immigration raids. Picture: AFP
Masad responded: 'Yeah, I don't know what you think of the new administration. Certainly, there are things that I like about it, some of their pro-tech posture and things like that. But what's happening now is — it's kind of disappointing.'
Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin refuted their assertions.
'The official data tells the real story: an overwhelming majority of ICE arrests were criminal illegal aliens with criminal convictions or pending criminal charges.
Further, many illegal aliens categorised as 'non-criminals' are actually terrorists, human rights abusers, gang members and worse — they just don't have a rap sheet in the US.
This deceptive 'non-criminal' categorisation is devoid of reality and misleads the American public.
Police deploy tear gas while clearing a street in front of City Hall. Picture: AFP
'Secretary (Kristi) Noem has unleashed the U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) to target the worst of the worst — including gang members, murderers, and rapists.
We are putting the American people first by removing illegal aliens who pose a threat to our communities.'
Masad, a Jordanian-born software engineer and CEO of coding platform Replit, went on to slam immigration enforcement actions on college campuses against anti-Israel protesters.
'Did you see this video of this Turkish student at Tufts University that wrote an essay and then there's video of like, ICE agents, like –'
Rogan interjected, 'Is that the woman?'
Masad replied, 'Yeah, yeah.'
Rogan asked, 'Yeah. What was her essay about? It was just critical of Israel, right?'
'Just critical of Israel, yeah,' Masad confirmed.
Rogan responded, 'And that's enough to get you kicked out of the country.'
Rumeysa Öztürk, a Turkish doctoral student at Tufts University, was detained by federal officials in Massachusetts in March and held in a Louisiana facility for weeks after the Department of Homeland Security claimed she supported Hamas in an op-ed for the campus newspaper.
Rogan was conversing with tech entrepreneur Amjad Masad. Picture: YouTube
In May, a federal judge blocked her deportation, calling the detention baseless.
She was released and allowed to return to Tufts while her deportation case proceeds in the courts.
Rogan also referenced the case of Mahmoud Khalil, the Syrian-born Palestinian and US permanent resident and graduate student at Columbia University.
Khalil, who was a leader of pro-Palestinian protests on Columbia's campus, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in March after the Trump administration cited alleged false information on his green card application.
The administration, which alleged that Khalil's campus activities posed a threat to US foreign policy, also invoked a rarely used immigration law to cite as the basis for his deportation.
Khalil was held for more than 100 days at a Louisiana detention facility before he was released on June 20.
A White House rep defended the administration's actions pertaining to Khalil and Ozturk.
'Receiving a visa to study in the United States is a privilege not a right. The Trump administration is committed to restoring the rule of law and common sense to our immigration system, and will continue to fight to remove dangerous aliens who pose a risk to American security and interests, and have no right to be in this country,' White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told The Post.
A law enforcement officer fires a less-lethal projectile during a protest in Los Angeles. Picture: AFP
Rogan, who commands an audience of roughly 10 million listeners — most of whom are young men — publicly endorsed Trump for president on the eve of the 2024 election, calling Elon Musk's case for Trump 'the most persuasive argument' and stating, 'I concur with him at every turn.'
Though once a vocal critic of Trump, Rogan's support marked a major shift that the Trump campaign touted as a significant win with young male voters.
Last month, Rogan advocated for a path to citizenship for undocumented migrants who live and work in the US without breaking the law.
'Yeah maybe you shouldn't have snuck in,' Rogan said at the time.
'But you did it, and you're not breaking any laws and you're a hardworking person. Those people need a path to citizenship, man. Because if you don't, then they're just preyed upon.'
This story first appeared in the New York Post and was republished with permission.
Originally published as 'Insane': Joe Rogan turns on Donald Trump over immigration raids
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That period ends on July 9, although Trump early on Friday said the tariffs could be even higher - ranging up to 70 per cent - with most set to go into effect August 1. "I signed some letters and they'll go out on Monday, probably 12," Trump said, when asked about his plans on the tariff front. "Different amounts of money, different amounts of tariffs." Trump and his top aides initially said they would launch negotiations with scores of countries on tariff rates, but the US president has soured on that process after repeated setbacks with major trading partners, including Japan and the European Union. He touched on that briefly late on Friday, telling reporters: "The letters are better ... much easier to send a letter." He did not address his prediction that some broader trade agreements could be reached before the July 9 deadline. The shift in the White House's strategy reflects the challenges of completing trade agreements on everything from tariffs to non-tariff barriers such as bans on agricultural imports, and especially on an accelerated timeline. Most past trade agreements have taken years of negotiations to complete. The only trade agreements reached to date are with Britain, which reached a deal in May to keep a 10 per cent rate and won preferential treatment for some sectors including autos and aircraft engines, and with Vietnam, cutting tariffs on many Vietnamese goods to 20 per cent from his previously threatened 46 per cent. Many US products would be allowed to enter Vietnam duty-free. A deal expected with India has failed to materialise, and EU diplomats on Friday said they have failed to achieve a breakthrough in trade negotiations with the Trump administration, and may now seek to extend the status quo to avoid tariff hikes. US President Donald Trump has signed letters to 12 countries outlining the various tariff levels they will face on goods they export to the United States, with the "take it or leave it" offers to be sent out on Monday. Trump, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One as he travelled to New Jersey, declined to name the countries involved, saying that would be made public on Monday. Trump had earlier on Thursday told reporters that he expected a first batch of letters to go out on Friday, a national holiday in the United States, though the date had shifted. In a global trade war that has upended financial markets and set off a scramble among policymakers to guard their economies, Trump in April announced a 10 per cent base tariff rate and additional amounts for most countries, some ranging as high as 50 per cent. However, all but the 10 per cent base rate were subsequently suspended for 90 days to allow more time for negotiations to secure deals. That period ends on July 9, although Trump early on Friday said the tariffs could be even higher - ranging up to 70 per cent - with most set to go into effect August 1. "I signed some letters and they'll go out on Monday, probably 12," Trump said, when asked about his plans on the tariff front. "Different amounts of money, different amounts of tariffs." Trump and his top aides initially said they would launch negotiations with scores of countries on tariff rates, but the US president has soured on that process after repeated setbacks with major trading partners, including Japan and the European Union. He touched on that briefly late on Friday, telling reporters: "The letters are better ... much easier to send a letter." He did not address his prediction that some broader trade agreements could be reached before the July 9 deadline. The shift in the White House's strategy reflects the challenges of completing trade agreements on everything from tariffs to non-tariff barriers such as bans on agricultural imports, and especially on an accelerated timeline. Most past trade agreements have taken years of negotiations to complete. The only trade agreements reached to date are with Britain, which reached a deal in May to keep a 10 per cent rate and won preferential treatment for some sectors including autos and aircraft engines, and with Vietnam, cutting tariffs on many Vietnamese goods to 20 per cent from his previously threatened 46 per cent. Many US products would be allowed to enter Vietnam duty-free. A deal expected with India has failed to materialise, and EU diplomats on Friday said they have failed to achieve a breakthrough in trade negotiations with the Trump administration, and may now seek to extend the status quo to avoid tariff hikes.
