Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) is facing intense backlash after delivering an emotional, teary-eyed tribute to anti-ICE protester Renee Nicole Good during a congressional hearing, a performance critics quickly labeled political theater.
Crockett went viral Thursday after a video surfaced of her growing visibly emotional while addressing lawmakers about the ICE shooting that killed Good in Minneapolis the day prior.
Using the moment to attack Republicans, Crockett questioned their response to the shooting and accused them of lacking compassion.
“I’m just asking if there is any decency or heart or courage on that side of the aisle,” she said during the hearing.
She continued by condemning what she described as indifference from Republicans.
“The fact that a woman was killed, she was shot in her head, and y’all are pretending like nothing happened,” Crockett said.
As her voice cracked, Crockett paused and placed her hand over her face while saying, “A child has lost her mom,” before regaining composure and continuing her remarks.
Crockett then drew a controversial comparison between Good’s death and the September assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, claiming Democrats did not excuse violence in that case.
“Is it okay because you have a badge?” Crockett asked, referring to the ICE agent involved in the shooting. “Because the last time I checked, allegedly no one is above the law.”
She pointed toward Republican members and demanded action, asking if anyone would “stand for the very people that elected us,” while calling for what she described as courage and humanity.
The clip quickly spread online, but the reaction was brutal. Critics flooded social media, accusing Crockett of fake emotion and exploiting a tragedy for political gain, as reported by the Daily Mail.
After Crockett posted the clip to X, one commenter said she failed to “squeeze out a tear,” while another labeled the moment “the worst fake cry I’ve ever seen.”
Conservative influencer Paul Szypula was among the most vocal critics. He wrote that Crockett “fake cries” while comparing Charlie Kirk’s assassination “for his free speech” to what he described as a terrorist being “neutralized” after trying to run over ICE agents.
Another viral response mocked the performance, writing, “Croc tears from Crock,” while others accused her of ignoring a reported surge in assaults against ICE agents.
The backlash intensified as liberal celebrities Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers publicly warned supporters not to donate to Crockett’s rumored Senate campaign.
“Don’t waste your money sending to Jasmine Crockett,” Rogers said.
The controversy comes as new video footage released by the Department of Homeland Security sheds more light on the Minneapolis shooting. DHS said the footage shows Good blocking the road and interfering with an active ICE enforcement operation.
DHS claimed the video proves Good was “stalking and impeding” agents and accused the media of misleading coverage. “The evidence speaks for itself,” the agency said.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the footage confirms Good attempted to run over an ICE agent, a claim echoed by the Trump administration, which has deemed the shooting justified as the FBI continues its investigation.
