On Sunday, MNSBC’s PoliticsNation with Al Sharpton hosted Democratic Congresswoman Yvette Clarke of New York who criticized the Trump administration over an ICE involved shooting in the Bronx. Clark defined the administration as “racist” and noted that they should understand that she was watching them.
Sharpton began the segment by mentioning Clarke’s call “for ICE to leave New York after a man was shot by ICE agents in the Bronx earlier this month.” He noted that the man was in “solitary confinement with a bullet lodged in his neck.” Sharpton asked Clark if she had heard “anything from Homeland Security about the incident or how they plan to rebuild trust with the city.”
MNSBC: Sharpton Lets Dem. Rep. Smear Ice and "Racist" Trump #mnsbc #ice #trump #news #media https://t.co/2Ksv5GABsA
— Sarah (@scbpoli) October 20, 2026
Clarke responded by turning reality upside down about illegal immigrants, that “this is a lawless administration.” She claimed that she had sent “many letters” and demanded “a lot of accountability from this administration.” She confidently stated that Trump's administration had not “respected the will of the people through their representatives,” and argued “there is no justification for what is taking place under the leadership of Secretary Mullin.”
The Congresswoman continued that in New York, there were “people are being gunned down” in the streets which was “traumatic at every turn.” Then came the Nazi smears: “for all of us who believe in our collective humanity, who understand that these types of Gestapo tactics cannot, cannot continue in the United States.”
Sharpton shifted the conversation to focus on President Trump and Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr.'s proposed deregulaton of Head Start for pre-schoolers, which includes a mandate to teach only in English except “programs serving indigenous and Native American communities.” He set her up for another denunciation: "Now, according to The Washington Post, about a third of kids in head start speak a language other than English at home. You've been strongly out against this. Tell us why it is so harmful, especially for a city like New York."
Wouldn't it make sense to teach young children English before kindergarten? But Clarke toed the usual line, that "if we really want to give them a head start, we have to start by meeting them where they are," including bilingual and even trilingual education. What if a New York city classroom has six different languages in it?
Clarke played the racism card: " What is the reason for a health and hospital secretary to be tampering with the education of our children, other than the racism that has been revealed throughout this administration is really just uncalled for and unconscionable." Al Sharpton accomplished what he set out to do.
Click Expand to view transcript:
MS NOW's PoliticsNation
10/18/2026
5:12:33-5:15:36 PMAL SHARPTON: Now let's switch topics, because you've called for ICE to leave New York after a man was shot by ICE agents in the Bronx earlier this month. His first hearing before an immigration judge was Thursday, live streamed from a federal jail, where his lawyers say he's in solitary confinement with a bullet lodged in his neck.
They say he should be released. Have you or other New York congress members heard anything from Homeland Security about the incident, or how they plan to rebuild trust with the city?
REP. YVETTE CLARKE (D-NY): Well, this is a lawless administration, and though we send many letters, we demand a lot of accountability from this administration. They have not respected the will of the people through their representatives. So we're waiting to hear from this administration. I can tell you that there is no justification for what is taking place under the leadership of Secretary Mullen and so there will be accountability to see that people are being gunned down in our streets for this gentleman to be shot in front of his five year old son was horrific.
And it's traumatic at every turn, not only for the individuals involved, their family members, but for all of us who believe in our collective humanity, who understand that this is, these types of gestapo tactics cannot, cannot continue in the United States.
SHARPTON: Staying with immigration, as part of Trump's and Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr's proposed deregulation of Head Start, they want to mandate that the program be English language, except programs serving indigenous and Native American communities.
Now, according to The Washington Post, about a third of kids in head start speak a language other than English at home. You've been strongly out against this. Tell us why it is so harmful, especially for a city like New York.
CLARKE: Well, let's talk about the fact that these are our youngest children in head start and if we really want to give them a head start, we have to start by meeting them where they are. And for many, that means that in their homes, other languages are spoken. And so we can meet them where they are by providing that bilingual education, in some cases, trilingual education starting in head start.
What is the reason for a health and hospital secretary to be tampering with the education of our children, other than the racism that has been revealed throughout this administration is really just uncalled for and unconscionable. So I join the tri caucus leadership to make sure that this administration understands that we are watching and that this policy this rule must not go into effect.
