Texas Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett is drawing sharp criticism for comments likening federal intervention in urban areas to “slave patrols,” delivered just a day before two National Guard troops were shot in Washington, D.C.
The Wednesday shooting — allegedly carried out by 29-year-old Afghan migrant Rahmanullah Lakanwal of Bellingham, Washington — left one Guard member dead and another critically injured.
Lakanwal, who previously served with a CIA-organized counterterrorism squad in Afghanistan, reportedly shouted “Allahu Akbar” as he was subdued by other troops after opening fire. The deceased victim was identified as 20-year-old West Virginia National Guard Spc. Sarah Beckstrom.
The National Guard deployments, ordered by the Trump administration to combat urban crime, have faced Democratic opposition. On Tuesday, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee held an unofficial “shadow hearing” in Los Angeles to examine the deployments, alongside immigration raids and deportations.
During her remarks, Crockett accused the Guard of acting to “control, intimidate, and terrorize people solely based on color.”
“Let me be clear: Donald Trump is running the most openly racist immigration regime in modern American history,” she said.
“I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, Donald Trump’s mass deportation system makes me think of what a modern-day slave patrol would look like. Slave patrols were armed groups empowered by the government to control, intimidate, and terrorize people solely based on color. That’s what’s happening now.”
She added: “Donald Trump is sending masked agents without warrants into communities of color to terrorize the people who live there. And the reason I want to make sure that I draw out this link is because we heard [California Rep. Maxine Waters] say that black and brown is coming together. I want to be clear about this: This should not just be the immigrant community. This should be all of us united, because we know united we stand, divided we fall. And unfortunately, this last election, we allowed ourselves to be divided.”
The remarks have sparked online accusations of incitement, especially after Crockett expressed condolences for the victims.
🚨 Just a DAY AGO, Rep. Jasmine Crockett declared that the National Guard helping with mass deportations are TARGETING people of color
“Slave patrols”
“Control, intimidate and terrorize [colored people]”
This is what INCITEMENT looks like. pic.twitter.com/dHHiSgSQ4z
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) November 26, 2025
This was Jasmine Crockett 2 days ago.
Now 2 National Guardsmen have been shot.
She has blood on her hands!!!
— SaltyGoat (@SaltyGoat17) November 27, 2025
Crockett literally called the National Guard “slave patrols” one day before two members were ambushed. No worries – CNN and MSNBC will never challenge her on that during her next 100 appearances there, so it’s all good. https://t.co/RPNjoqD29Z
— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) November 27, 2025
Crockett is not alone among Democrats facing scrutiny for recent comments on the Guard.
Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan — one of the so-called “Seditious Six” Democratic lawmakers who called for military members to disobey orders — also faced criticism for an appearance Sunday in which she implied National Guard troops deployed to cities might start firing upon residents.
Slotkin told ABC News’ Martha Raddatz that she was concerned about “the use of U.S. military on American shores, on our city — in our cities and in our streets … including here in Washington, D.C.”
Elissa Slotkin (D), one of the seditious six, suggested a few days ago that the national guard will start randomly shooting at Americans.
She knew this was a lie yet said it anyway.
Now two national guardsmen were shot.
She knew what she was doing.pic.twitter.com/PZSUOlOYxB
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) November 26, 2025
“When you look at these videos coming out of places like Chicago, it makes me incredibly nervous that we’re about to see people in law enforcement, people in uniformed military get nervous, get stressed, shoot at American civilians,” she said.
“It is very — a very, very stressful situation for these law enforcement and for the communities on the ground.”
The FBI is investigating the D.C. shooting as a possible act of terrorism. Lakanwal entered the U.S. in September 2021 under the Biden administration’s Operation Allies Welcome.
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