Podcast host and commentator Joe Rogan has voiced strong criticism of recent ICE roundups targeting undocumented immigrant workers, calling the practice “insane” and questioning the priorities behind such actions.
On a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, Rogan reacted to news that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had conducted a series of large-scale workplace raids, detaining dozens—sometimes hundreds—of undocumented workers in industries such as food processing and construction.
Rogan didn’t hold back, saying:
“You’re rounding up a bunch of hardworking people just trying to feed their families—like, really? That’s your big move?”
He went on to describe the enforcement strategy as misguided and hypocritical, arguing that the focus should be on employers who exploit undocumented labor rather than on the workers themselves.
“The companies hiring them don’t get hit. They just go find a new batch of people to abuse,” Rogan said. “Meanwhile, the guy who’s been working 10 hours a day for minimum wage gets cuffed and deported.”
Rogan also questioned the effectiveness of such operations, highlighting how raids often separate families, hurt local economies, and fail to address the larger systemic issues behind illegal immigration.
His comments have sparked a wave of responses online, with supporters praising him for taking a human rights stance and critics accusing him of downplaying the importance of immigration laws.
This isn’t the first time Rogan has tackled immigration issues on his show, but this latest reaction reflects growing tensions around immigration enforcement policies in the U.S., especially under renewed political focus ahead of the 2024 presidential elections.
In typical Rogan fashion, he concluded with a rhetorical punch:
“If you want to fix immigration, go after the people profiting off it. Don’t destroy lives just to make a point.”
