Senator Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) has issued a letter to Lucas County Commissioner Pete Gerken, criticizing remarks made by Gerken during a recent public meeting. In the meeting held on January 13, 2026, Commissioner Gerken referred to employees of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and border patrol agents as “a terrorist group.”
Moreno’s letter expressed strong disapproval of Gerken’s statements. “I find it extremely ironic that previously you publicly called for President Trump to be ‘respectful toward the local community,’” wrote Senator Moreno. “Yet, you yourself, in a public meeting, called federal law enforcement officers, who sacrifice so much to uphold our laws and keep our communities safe, ‘terrorists.’ Although your unhinged conduct, which is wholly unfit for someone holding public office, should not be surprising as you clearly have a pattern of engaging in disrespectful behavior and misconduct yourself that you teach and encourage in others as well.”
In his letter addressed directly to Commissioner Gerken, Moreno stated:
“I write today to express my sincere disgust regarding the dangerous public comments you made about our brave men and women in uniform at a Lucas County Commissioners’ meeting on January 13, 2026. Specifically, you stated, ‘I think DHS, ICE, and border patrol have gone from a legitimate, in the past, law enforcement agency, to a terrorist group.’”
The controversy arose after the Lucas County Commissioners decided to rescind their prior agreement to accept a $70,000 grant from the Department of Homeland Security’s Operation Stonegarden program. The funds are intended for improving critical infrastructure within Lucas County. According to Sheriff Navarre of Lucas County, these federal grants have been accepted by the county for nearly twenty years.
Financial challenges currently facing Lucas County include an approximately $70 million budget deficit for Toledo Public Schools and Sheriff Navarre’s request for an additional $6.57 million to address staffing shortages within law enforcement.
Gerken defended his position by stating: “I thought it was time for someone on our committee to speak up and say look, for $70,000 I don’t think we want to take money from an organization that has delegitimized itself.” Moreno criticized this justification as inconsistent with Gerken’s constitutional duties as an elected official.
Moreno further referenced Ohio Revised Code 3.07 regarding official responsibilities: “any person holding office…who refuses or willfully neglects to enforce the law or to perform any official duty imposed on him by law is guilty of misconduct in office.” He argued that refusing federal funds could undermine both trust in local government and support needed by law enforcement.
Moreno also cited concerns about increased violence against federal officers linked with hostile rhetoric toward agencies like ICE and CBP. He said such language has coincided with attacks against personnel—including shootings labeled “ANTI-ICE,” Molotov cocktail incidents targeting officers—and noted significant increases in assaults on ICE agents.
The senator concluded his letter by repeating his criticism: “I find it extremely ironic that previously you publicly called for President Trump to be ‘respectful toward the local community.’ Yet, you yourself…called federal law enforcement officers…‘terrorists.’ Although your unhinged conduct…should not be surprising as you clearly have a pattern of engaging in disrespectful behavior and misconduct yourself that you teach and encourage in others as well.”
