Anti-ICE Socialist Democrat Candidate Elijah Manley CONFRONTED by Martha MacCallum After Dodging Basic Question on Illegal Immigration * The Gateway Pundit * by Jim Hᴏft

Self-described socialist Democrat Elijah Manley walked into a live Fox News interview ready to attack Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

But when Martha MacCallum asked him one painfully simple question about enforcing America’s immigration laws, his talking points fell apart in real time.

Manley, a Democrat candidate for Congress in Florida’s 20th District, argued that the government must “enforce the laws” and declared that Congress is part of the country.

That is when MacCallum turned his own argument against him.

“Congress’ laws are the laws that ICE is upholding,” MacCallum fired back.

Then she gave Manley another chance to answer the question he had been avoiding: Is he okay with someone crossing the border illegally even though doing so violates federal law?

It should have been an easy answer for anybody asking voters to send him to Congress.

Instead, Manley retreated into inflammatory accusations against federal immigration agents. He said the law should be enforced when someone is in the country illegally, but immediately added that “we can’t shoot people and kidnap Americans indiscriminately.”

MacCallum flatly rejected the claim that ICE is simply removing Americans at random and said she supports the law being upheld and immigration officers doing their jobs. And there it was.

Manley wanted to present himself as the reasonable defender of law and order while simultaneously smearing the agency charged with enforcing immigration law.

MacCallum forced him to confront the contradiction: If Congress passes the laws and illegal entry violates those laws, who exactly is supposed to enforce them after Democrats abolish ICE?

Manley never supplied a clear answer. No federal agency is above scrutiny, and any credible allegation of misconduct should be investigated. But demanding accountability is not the same as abolishing the agency responsible for immigration enforcement.

Manley’s rhetoric attempted to blur that obvious distinction, and MacCallum refused to let him get away with it.

The exchange comes as Manley campaigns in a crowded Democratic primary in deep-blue South Florida. He has openly identified as a socialist and promoted a far-left platform that includes abolishing ICE, Medicare for All and a sweeping expansion of the federal government.

But slogans shouted before friendly crowds are one thing. Answering a direct question on live television is another.

MacCallum cut through the spin and brought the debate back to the point Manley kept trying to escape: A country either enforces its borders and laws, or it does not.

WATCH THE EXCHANGE:

🚨 WOW! This anti-ICE Democrat socialist candidate just got MIC DROPPED by Martha MacCallum on live TV

MANLEY: Enforce the laws, Congress is part of this country!

MACCALLUM: Congress’ laws are the laws that ICE IS UPHOLDING! I’m gonna ask you one more time because you didn’t… pic.twitter.com/oBH93dvd2k

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) August 17, 2026