At a White House ceremony Monday, President Trump and Vice President Pence honored the brave men and women of the Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). They get gangs off our streets, keep drugs away from our kids, and keep terrorists out of our country. Here are some excerpts of the president’s remarks:

“Let me extend my gratitude to every law enforcement professional representing ICE and CBP… You’re incredible people. You do an unbelievable job…

"Over the last year, ICE and CBP seized more than 2.8 million pounds of illicit and deadly narcotics. A lot of people would have died. In the interior of our country, ICE officers arrested over 127,000 criminal aliens … including those charged or convicted of 48,000 assaults, 12,000 sex crimes, and 1,800 homicides…

"Every day, on average, CBP prevents 10 known or suspected terrorists from entering the United States. What a job you’ve done.”

After a couple of officers told personal stories about their work at the border and fighting MS-13, the president turned his attention to the growing extremism of the Left. He said:

“Sadly, in recent months … a coalition of open-borders extremists … have waged an unprecedented assault on American law enforcement — our greatest people — threatening ICE and Border Patrol…

"Leading members of the Democrat Party have even launched a campaign to abolish ICE. In other words, they want to abolish America’s borders… Any politician who puts criminal aliens before American citizens should find a new line of work…

"And politicians that get up and say that our country was never great… I think that’s the end of that career. Congressional Democrats have opposed Kate’s Law, opposed legislation to crack down on MS-13 thugs, and supported deadly sanctuary cities… Last month, House Democrats even boycotted a resolution supporting our brave ICE officers and agents…

"The extremists who attack ICE and CBP like to portray themselves as champions of social justice — they are not.  But their radical policies are the ultimate injustice, hurting innocent Americans and spilling innocent blood. People are dying because of their either lack of knowledge, lack of understanding, or just plain stupidity…

"The true champions of justice are right here in this room, and they’re proudly wearing the badge of American law enforcement…”

The president again predicted that Republicans could defy history and do well in the midterm elections if they campaign hard on border security. President Trump said that a “Blue wave means crime. It means open borders.”

The president is absolutely right. America cannot afford a Democrat/socialist takeover of Congress in 2018!

You Honor What You Value

As the president was speaking Monday, it got me thinking. He has previously invited to the White House the parents of children killed by illegal immigrants. He has honored soldiers who fought jihadists on the battlefield. He has honored first responders and police officers.

But what if a so-called “progressive” wins the presidency in 2020? Knowing what the Left values, who would Andrew Cuomo, Kamala Harris, or Elizabeth Warren honor at the White House?

The NFL kneelers who “bravely” disrespected our flag?

Men who think they are women and had the “courage” to use the women’s restroom?

The nation’s leading abortionist, who killed the most babies in the previous year?

That’s definitely not how we would ever make America great again.

Iran’s Threat to America

Last summer, U.S. law enforcement authorities arrested two Iranians who were part of a Hezbollah sleeper cell. One of the men conducted surveillance of potential American and Israeli targets in Panama. The other spied on U.S. military and law enforcement facilities in New York City.

You may have missed the news, but it has happened again.

Monday, U.S. authorities charged two Iranians — Ahmadreza Mohammadi-Doostdar, 38, and Majid Ghorbani, 59 — for acting as agents for the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

According to a statement from the Justice Department, the men are accused of “conducting covert surveillance of Israeli and Jewish facilities in the United States,” including the Rohr Chabad House in Chicago. The men also worked to identify U.S. citizens who are members of an Iranian opposition group.

Doostdar and Ghorbani were recorded discussing threats against one of the speakers, a senator, at a “Free Iran” rally last September. “He is one of those motherf—ing Jews… I swear, motherf—er needs one-one shot,” Ghorbani said. While government documents do not identify the speaker, former Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) was at the rally.

These threats must be taken seriously. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the leader of Iran’s terrorist Quds Force, recently threatened the United States with “asymmetrical warfare,” warning, “We are near you, where you can’t even imagine.” He also posted a picture on Instagram of the White House exploding.

This is just another reminder that the Iranian regime is not only a threat to Israel and other states in the Middle East but to the United States as well. The regime leads its extremist followers in chants of “Death to Israel! Death to America!” and refers to the United States as “the Great Satan.”

Toppling Silent Sam

Progressives today are celebrating that a group of “students” did what the adults at the University of North Carolina would not do. They tore down the statue of “Silent Sam,” a monument erected in 1913 to honor the memory of University of North Carolina alumni and students who fought in the Civil War.

There is nothing heroic about what the students did. This mob destroyed property that did not belong to them, which is a crime.

These are the same people who, having been taught that America “was never that great,” have also attacked statues of Christopher Columbus, George Washington, Andrew Jackson, and Thomas Jefferson.

They are like the young people who want to figuratively tear down the Second Amendment. And while some of these young people attack statues, others put on masks and attack conservatives and Trump supporters.

These are not isolated stories. They are all evidence of the Left’s growing impulse to engage in violence as it seeks to fundamentally transform America.

Where do these people come from? Apparently some of them are homegrown.

A video was trending on Twitter Monday that purports to show a father offering his daughter $100 to knock the MAGA hat off a boy’s head. The father proudly posted this online. I hope both he and his daughter are prosecuted for assault.