Rep. Juan Vargas calls for dismantling ICE

Congressman boycotted State of the Union, says agency has "failed" and "murdered people"

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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Democratic Rep. Juan Vargas, who represents California's 52nd congressional district, joined NBC 7's Joey Safchik to discuss his decision to boycott President Trump's State of the Union address, his views on reforming Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and efforts to make his district more affordable for residents.

Why it matters

Vargas' comments highlight the growing divide between Democrats and the Trump administration on immigration policy, with the congressman calling for the complete dismantling of ICE rather than just reforms. This clash could play a major role in the upcoming midterm elections as Democrats seek to capitalize on perceived vulnerabilities of the president.

The details

Vargas said he boycotted the State of the Union because he did not want to "dignify his speech" or "listen to his lies." He believes ICE has "failed" and "murdered people" and should be replaced with a new enforcement agency, rather than just reformed. The congressman also discussed his efforts to make housing more affordable in his district, including passing bipartisan legislation to help first-time homebuyers.

  • Vargas boycotted President Trump's State of the Union address on February 25, 2026.
  • Vargas has been a member of Congress representing California's 52nd district since 2013.

The players

Rep. Juan Vargas

A Democratic member of Congress representing California's 52nd congressional district, which includes the South Bay region of San Diego County.

President Donald Trump

The 45th President of the United States, whose policies and rhetoric Vargas strongly opposes.

Joey Safchik

A reporter for NBC 7 in San Diego who interviewed Vargas on the political program "Politically Speaking."

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What they’re saying

“I didn't go there because I didn't want to listen to his lies. You know, he wants us to sit there and applaud for the things that he says. But we all know what he says is not true. So we should be fighting his policies. We shouldn't be applauding them.”

— Rep. Juan Vargas (Politically Speaking)

“ICE is not an agency. It's not a department that we've had for a very long time. Everyone thinks it's like the FBI. It's not. You know, this hasn't been around for a very long time, and I think it's been a failure. I think it's been an absolute failure. I think we need to dismantle it and do it the right way.”

— Rep. Juan Vargas (Politically Speaking)

What’s next

Vargas plans to continue fighting the Trump administration's immigration policies and push for the dismantling of ICE, which he believes has "failed" and "murdered people." He will also continue working across the aisle to pass legislation aimed at making housing more affordable for his constituents in California's 52nd district.

The takeaway

Vargas' strong opposition to both President Trump and the current structure of ICE highlights the deep partisan divide on immigration policy that is likely to be a major factor in the upcoming midterm elections. The congressman's calls for dismantling ICE rather than just reforming it put him at odds with more moderate Democrats who have proposed changes to the agency.