In a striking turn of events, one of Donald Trump’s most prominent celebrity supporters from the 2024 presidential campaign has voiced sharp criticism of the administration’s immigration enforcement tactics.
UFC commentator and podcaster Joe Rogan expressed serious concerns about the current approach to deportations during a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience featuring comedian Duncan Trussell. His remarks come as reports indicate the administration has deported nearly 200,000 individuals in recent months, with controversial practices including family separations being employed to pressure asylum seekers into leaving the country.
The 58-year-old media personality didn’t mince words when addressing what he views as unnecessarily harsh treatment of longtime residents who have contributed positively to American society. His central argument focused on the perceived injustice of removing individuals who have lived peacefully in the United States for extended periods.
“The way it looks is horrific. When you’re just arresting people in front of their kids, just normal, regular people that have been here for 20 years… If they have been productive members of society for 20 years… find them a pathway to citizenship,” Rogan stated during the podcast.
“Find a way where you can do this thing you want to do, which is to keep terr**ist, cartel members from getting across the border… Okay, but also have a f**king heart, because if you don’t, you’re not going to get anybody on your side.”
Despite his criticism, Rogan clarified that he recognizes the importance of border security and proposed an alternative framework that might generate broader public support. His suggestion involves prioritizing the removal of individuals with significant criminal records rather than blanket enforcement.
“The only way to do it would be where you could get everyone on your side [is like this]. Borders are closed, and we’re going to find out who’s committed felonies. Who out of the people who are illegal that have committed felonies, and if you’ve committed x amount of felonies, you have to leave the country. If you’ve been robbing people for the last 10 years and you’re an illegal, you have to leave the country. That makes sense,” he explained.
The podcast host’s comments reflect growing unease among some conservatives about the methods being employed in immigration enforcement, particularly regarding families who have established deep roots in their communities over many years.
Beyond immigration, Rogan also used the platform to criticize urban governance, particularly targeting cities like Portland and Oakland for their struggles with homelessness and public sanitation. He questioned the competence of local leadership in addressing these persistent challenges, noting that such conditions were uncommon during his childhood.
“Whatever it is that allows the kind of f**king chaos that you could find in Portland… you guys aren’t doing it right. If this were a house, and I came over to your house and these are your kids, I would call protective services… That’s an unfit government. If you’ve got a city where people are just openly s**tting in the streets, sleeping everywhere… You ever seen Oakland? Some of those f**king homeless tents? Those huge villages… This didn’t exist when we were kids,” Rogan said.
