Ted Cruz

If you are anticipating violent confrontation with law enforcement, you're having a gun.

Yeah, and look, just because you have a right to do something doesn't mean that doing it in those circumstances isn't stupid.

Yes.

If you are anticipating getting in a violent confrontation with police officers, by the way, that's stupid in and of itself.

You should not get in a violent confrontation with police officers.

But if you are entering an environment where you see that as a reasonable possibility, if you have an IQ that breaks room temperature, any firearm you have, leave it at home.

Why?

Because in a violent confrontation with law enforcement, if you have a firearm, the odds of that confrontation escalating rise dramatically.

Look, police officers don't know if you intend to use that firearm to commit harm, to harm others or to harm them.

We are seeing, sadly, leftists targeting ICE agents for murder.

And if you have that firearm and you're engaged in violence –

the agent's perception of the physical threat to them is understandably much, much higher.

Had that individual left his gun at home, he almost certainly would be alive today.

And third, I'd say, don't engage in a violent confrontation with law enforcement.

He won't.

I wish the

It is reckless and it is irresponsible.

And they're doing it, I will say, from the political agenda of a leftist.

Seeing more civilians killed in confrontations with ICE agents furthers their political agenda.

They want ICE delegitimized.