Michigan Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayed Calls for Abolishing ICE, Says He Faced Islamophobia While Playing Lacrosse
At a Detroit debate and in a separate interview, Democratic Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed urged the abolition of ICE and said the agency is used to intimidate voters. He also told a streamer that traveling for college lacrosse games was "tough" because of anti-Muslim bias from "white people," remarks that were circulated on social media.
By Cassandra MacDonald
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Michigan Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed told voters and supporters this week that he wants to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and characterized the agency as a tool of voter intimidation. El-Sayed’s comments came during a debate on Friday hosted by leaders of the Council of Baptist Pastors in Detroit and were amplified by social media posts that captured portions of his remarks.
During the debate, El-Sayed said Democrats must "stand up to the SAVE America Act" and pursue the abolition of ICE. "We think about ICE as immigration because that’s what they told us ICE was about. Let’s be clear. ICE is not about immigration. That has nothing to do with the southern border," he said, according to video from the event. He went on to claim the agency is about "normalizing putting thugs on our streets to intimidate us from voting. That’s what it’s all about." "We’ve got to abolish ICE," he added.
Clips of El-Sayed’s remarks were shared on X by RNC Research, the Republican National Committee’s research arm, which posted excerpts alongside commentary criticizing the Democratic position on immigration. The RNC’s posts drew attention from national and state political observers and underscored how El-Sayed’s statements are likely to be used by opponents as the 2026 Senate contest unfolds.
In a separate media appearance, El-Sayed discussed his college experience playing lacrosse and said he encountered anti-Muslim bias while traveling for games. In an interview with streamer Hasan Piker, El-Sayed agreed with a comment that "white people were the most Islamophobic," and said, "Traveling was tough, let’s just put it that way." Video of that exchange was also circulated on social media platforms.
El-Sayed, 40, is a physician and the former director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, a post he held under Governor Gretchen Whitmer. He first entered statewide politics with an unsuccessful run for governor in 2018 and has since been associated with progressive positions on immigration, health care, and identity-related issues. He is considered a leading contender for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat in 2026.
The comments add to a broader national debate within the Democratic Party over how to approach immigration enforcement. Calls to abolish ICE have surfaced periodically among progressive activists and candidates, while more moderate Democrats typically favor reforming or restructuring immigration agencies rather than eliminating them. El-Sayed’s stance places him among the more outspoken progressives on the issue and is likely to shape both primary and general election messaging in Michigan.
Campaign watchers say remarks about personal encounters with Islamophobia are likely to resonate with some voters who have faced discrimination, while opponents may frame them as divisive. The circulation of short video clips on social media means the exchanges will receive continued scrutiny from political organizations, reporters, and voters as the race develops.
El-Sayed’s campaign did not immediately issue additional comment beyond the debate and interview clips. As the 2026 campaign advances, his positions on immigration and his personal anecdotes about facing Islamophobia are expected to be focal points of both criticism and support from across the political spectrum.
