The Focus Group Podcast S6 Ep22: Put Excuses on ICE (with Adrian Carrasquillo)
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Jan 31, 2026 
Adrian Carrasquillo, Bulwark immigration correspondent and Huddled Masses newsletter author, shares on-the-ground Minneapolis reporting and coverage of ICE enforcement. He discusses the spread of fear beyond undocumented communities. Listeners hear reactions to recent killings, debates over accountability and reform, and how images of children reshape public outrage.
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Vivid Incidents Drive Public Opinion
- Voters often don't follow policy minutiae but react strongly to vivid, personal flashpoints like videos of violence.
- Sarah Longwell notes these moments break through daily life and reshape public opinion quickly.
Enforcement Creates Community Paralysis
- ICE operations create community-wide fear that keeps people isolated and harms local businesses.
- Adrian Carrasquillo reports organizers and businesses are scrambling to provide essentials as residents stay home.
Citizen Baker Terrified By Nearby Raids
- A U.S. citizen baker in Minneapolis feared leaving his shop after seeing Latinos thrown to the concrete nearby.
- He worried there would be no time to show documents before agents acted, so he hid in his bakery.