On Sunday, CNN’s State of the Union hosted Governor Wes Moore (D-Maryland). Bash questioned Moore about crimes committed by illegal immigrants, but the conversation quickly shifted to criticizing ICE. Moore claimed that ICE is bigger than the FBI and is putting “unaccountable and unqualified people” into communities.
Bash began the segment by focusing on the “illegal immigrant who was a rideshare driver” that raped his 17-year-old female passenger. She emphasized, “The fact is that Homeland Security is saying he was an undocumented immigrant and the Biden administration let him come in 2023.” Bash then asked Gov. Wes Moore whether he understood "how upset this makes people." Then she allowed Moore to speak uninterrupted for a minute and a half.
Moore reassured the residents of Maryland that he has “no tolerance for violent offenders” and “there is nothing that we will not do to make sure that our communities are safe.” He confidently continued, “if someone commits a violent crime in our state, I want him in handcuffs in 24 hours and they will have accountability coming their way."
CNN: Moore Claims ICE is Bigger than FBI#cnn #maryland #danabash pic.twitter.com/EeNhIW1RgK
— Sarah (@scbpoli) September 23, 2026
Moore went on to claim that Maryland has seen “the fastest drops in violent crime anywhere in the United States of America.” He also emphasized his willingness to work with “federal partners when it comes to immigration services.” However, he quickly shifted the focus toward criticizing ICE and its budget.
Moore stressed that “Now ICE's budget is over $85 billion. ICE is larger than the FBI.” He was shocked that ICE has a budget that is “larger than the state of Maryland.” Moore also criticized ICE for what he described as putting “unaccountable and unqualified people” into surrounding communities.
Moore specifically referenced the arrest of 5-year-olds and said he will work to make sure that “communities are safe” and to “address violent criminals everywhere they are.” He concluded that “we are supporting a Trump/Vance ICE operation that continues to violate the basic laws of our state, that also is not going to be tolerated.”
Bash moved on to new territory without taking any exception to all the Trump/Vance and ICE attacks.
Click "Expand" to view transcript:
State of the Union with Jake Tapper and Dana Bash
9/20/2026
9:23:17-9:25:09 am
DANA BASH: Last week in Maryland, an alleged illegal immigrant who was a rideshare driver, was accused of raping a 17-year-old girl who was his passenger. The fact is that Homeland Security is saying he was an undocumented immigrant and the Biden administration let him come in 2023. When you hear this, do you understand how upset this makes people?
GOV. WES MOORE (D-MD): I understand that. And I think -- I want the people of my state to understand that I have no tolerance for violent offenders, period and full stop. And there is nothing that we will not do to make sure that our communities are safe. It's the reason we made historic investments in local law enforcement. It's the reason that we have been very clear that, if someone commits a violent crime in our state, I want him in handcuffs in 24 hours and they will have accountability coming their way.
And we have now seen that Maryland has now had amongst the fastest drops in violent crime anywhere in the United States of America. So I will work with all partners, particularly when it comes to dealing with violent offenders, removing them from our communities, and making sure that they are accountable. And that includes -- and that includes our federal partners when it comes to immigration services.
But here's the other thing that I do know that, when I look at ICE, ICE was an agency that was funded at $10 billion. Now ICE's budget is over $85 billion. ICE is larger than the FBI. ICE is larger than the ATF. ICE's budget is larger than the state of Maryland.
And they are also using that to put unaccountable and unqualified people in our communities that are doing things like arresting 5-year- olds. So I will work to make sure that our communities are safe and address violent criminals everywhere they are. But I also know this, is that the idea that we -- are we are supporting a Trump/Vance ICE operation that continues to violate the basic laws of our state, that also is not going to be tolerated.
