Fact-checking Trump's claim that anti-ICE protesters are 'paid agitators and insurrectionists'
Customs And Border Protection,Violence In America,Facts And Fact Checking
From the Left
AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Left
With throngs of people in Minnesota protesting the Trump administration's immigration enforcement surge, President Donald Trump and some of his allies repeatedly described the protesters as paid.
"The thugs that are protesting include many highly paid professional agitators and anarchists," he said Jan. 18 on Truth Social.
"They're paid agitators and insurrectionists," Trump said at a Jan. 20 press conference.
The next day in Davos, Switzerland, Trump said the "fake" protests were "done by agitators and professional insurrectionists. … They're professional troublemakers."
Check for Bias
The AI-powered AllSides Bias Checker instantly reveals the bias of a news article. Tap the button to use.
Related Coverage
AllSides Picks
Recommended Reading
Where Can Immigration Enforcement Take Place?: Unpacking ICE’s ‘Sensitive Areas’ Policies from Clinton to Trump
The Alliance for Civic Engagement
July 8th, 2026