NYT Compares Hamas Monsters to ICE Agents
NYT Opinion Piece Draws Controversial Parallel Between Hamas and ICE Amid US Immigration Tensions
The New York Times published an opinion column by veteran foreign affairs commentator Thomas L. Friedman yesterday, titled "Minneapolis and Gaza Now Share the Same Violent Language," which has sparked widespread outrage for drawing direct comparisons between Hamas militants and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
The piece links recent violent protests and federal immigration operations in Minneapolis to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, arguing that both scenarios involve masked operatives engaging in excessive force driven by political agendas.Friedman highlights a visual similarity: "Hamas and ICE also share one very visible trait that I never thought I’d see in the United States: Almost all of their foot soldiers wear masks."
Drawing from his Middle East reporting experience, he claims masks are worn by those "up to something bad" to avoid identification, as seen in Beirut and Gaza, and now in Minneapolis.
He challenges readers: "But if you placed a photo of an ICE officer next to a Hamas militiaman in a news quiz, I would defy you to tell them apart."
Friedman directs criticism at Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, asking, "Memo to the homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem: That is not a good look. What are you hiding?"
The author's broader argument frames both groups as extensions of leaders, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump, who prioritize violence over diplomacy to maintain power ahead of 2026 elections.
He equates Hamas's execution of rivals and Israel's strikes on journalists in Gaza with ICE's fatal shootings of individuals like Renee Good and Alex Pretti during recent operations in Minnesota, suggesting these actions create "unnecessary chaos" and risk plunging societies into "darkness."
The column has ignited backlash on social media and from conservative outlets, with critics accusing Friedman and the NYT of trivializing terrorism and antisemitism by equating a U.S. law enforcement agency with a designated terrorist organization.
This piece comes amid heightened U.S.-Israel tensions and domestic unrest over immigration enforcement, including protests in the Twin Cities following ICE-related fatalities.
Friedman, known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of the Middle East, has previously drawn controversy for his views on the Israel-Palestine conflict.