Cohen’s ‘But’ to Angel Families Sparks Outrage

Adriana Stone 0 1 min read

Cohen’s ‘But’ to Angel Families Sparks Outrage

Rep. Steve Cohen faced Angel Families at a House Judiciary hearing this week. He began with an apology. Then he added a caveat that set off a firestorm.

Speaking to relatives of people killed by undocumented immigrants, Cohen said: “For the folks that are here and your families, I’m sorry. It’s terrible what happened to your children and family members, but they are more likely, American citizens are more likely to be attacked by United States citizens who are not undocumented who came here and who were born here,” Cohen told Angel Families. “ [Americans] are more likely to commit these crimes.”

The room reacted. People in the audience and online pushed back hard. Officials at Immigration and Customs Enforcement called the comments “reprehensible.”

There’s video of the exchange that quickly spread on social media. One tweet capturing the moment read: Rep. Cohen pointing to Angel Families in the audience: “I’m sorry for what happened to your loved ones, BUT…”

Online replies piled up. Some were blunt and angry. One user wrote: “I’m sorry but we see the murder of your family member as an acceptable loss for our agenda.”

Another commenter blasted Cohen for sounding callous: “@RepCohen, your smug “sorry for your loss, BUT” to shattered Angel Families is gutless, soulless cruelty. Their children’s blood isn’t a debate footnote. You disgust me.”

More voices demanded accountability. “What a disgusting thing to say to those families! Wow! Resign!” someone posted.

And another wrote: “All he had to do was say that he is sorry for their loss, but he just couldn’t do it. He had to get the left wing talking point on the record.”

What happened here is a clash of views and emotions. Cohen aimed to put crime in a broader context. The families in the room saw a personal tragedy minimized. That gap is where the controversy lives.

Expect both sides to keep pushing their narratives. The hearing won’t be the last time this topic comes up on the Hill. The politics are raw. The grief is real. And for now, the headlines are focused on a single, ill-timed “but.”

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