MAGA Commentator Wants People to Shoot Charity Workers Assisting Migrants

Stew Peters, a conservative commentator and radio host, called for the shooting of charity workers assisting migrants, saying that the best option to stop undocumented immigration is "shooting everyone involved."

Immigration has proved divisive as lawmakers across the political spectrum battle about the best way to deal with skyrocketing numbers of illegal border crossings. In December 2022, one of the largest mass crossings was caught on camera when a caravan of more than 1,000 migrants filed into the U.S. at El Paso, Texas.

The group was composed mostly of people from Nicaragua, Peru or Ecuador, but increasing numbers of Chinese migrants are arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border. Experts have said that migrant numbers are likely to shoot up exponentially following the end of Title 42, a COVID-era policy that limited the number of asylum claims. President Joe Biden claimed a victory this summer, when he pointed out that the number of people crossing the border dropped in June.

While speaking at the Fall Freedom Fest in Vero Beach, Florida, on Saturday, Peters referred to Catholic Charities USA and slammed them for helping migrants. He posted a stream of the speech on X, formerly Twitter, and Rumble, an online video-sharing platform, where he called attention to the effort to assist migrants, claiming that the charities help "coach illegals on how to get admitted here."

"We need troops on the border that will shoot people that are trying to invade our country. That'd be a good first step." he said. "But you know what a better second step would be? Shooting everyone involved with these fake charities."

Peters has been a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump, who is running again for the White House in 2024, saying previously that he supports Trump's proposal to defund the FBI, agrees with Trump that the 2020 election was stolen, and has come to Trump's defense amid his legal battles.

Peters on Monday on X, formerly Twitter, responded to a post by Media Matters for America, a nonprofit watchdog group that monitors conservatives in media, about his comments toward migrants, saying, "These people are enemy combatants who are facilitating the invasion and overthrow of our country. They should be treated accordingly."

When Newsweek reached out for a response from Peters' show, it referred to post from Peters on X on Monday saying, "There's no 'diplomatic' way to deal with enemy combatants that are facilitating an illegal military invasion of this country."

According to the Catholic Charities New York website, the nonprofit assists immigrants and refugees by offering several services, including helping newcomers reunite with their families, accessing legal help, providing crucial legal and support services and residences to unaccompanied immigrant children, along with several other services.

"These comments are deeply disturbing and could endanger Catholic Charities staff members and volunteers, who on a daily basis selflessly serve people in need in every corner of this country," Catholic Charities Vice President for Media Relations and Executive Communications Kevin Brennan told Newsweek on Monday.

"Sadly, these reprehensible threats against our agencies are an extension of a disturbing trend from a small but vocal group of critics who misrepresent and malign the basic humanitarian care—a warm meal, fresh clothing, a bed to sleep in for a night—that some Catholic Charities agencies provide to migrants after they have been released into the country by federal authorities. As our nation continues to mourn in the wake of yet another mass shooting, we pray for all victims of gun violence and for an end to dangerous, hateful rhetoric."

Meanwhile, this is not the first time Peters has used his social media platforms to call for violence against others.

Peters, who has been called out for his "antisemitic tropes" by the Anti-Defamation League,previously called for the execution of people who support COVID-19 vaccines, saying, "Hold criminal trials for anyone who invented, manufactured, mandated or any public figure that knowingly endorsed the use of these deadly injections. The only appropriate punishment for the harm they have caused is the death penalty. Indict them, try them and fry them."

Additionally, while speaking at the ReAwaken America tour in September, a traveling, far-right roadshow headlined by Donald Trump Jr., Peters called for the death of Joe Biden's son, Hunter, as well as Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former White House chief medical adviser and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, whom Peters insisted should "hang from a length of thick rope until he is dead."