‘They’re Not Stopping Trump’: Major Democratic Leader To Face Anti-ICE Primary Challenger

House Democratic Minority Whip Katherine Clark is facing a primary challenger to her left, further highlighting the Democrats’ intra-party disputes over how to move forward in the Trump era.

Jonathan Paz, a former Waltham City Councilman and head of the left-wing immigration activist group Fuerza, launched his bid in the Massachusetts Fifth Congressional District on Monday. If Paz is successful, it would be considered a major upset similar to when Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez defeated then-House Democratic Caucus Chair Joe Crowley in 2018 in New York.

“I’m challenging one of the most powerful Democrats in the House because we need new leadership. Let’s just call it what it is: Our Democratic leaders are failing us,” Paz said in his campaign launch video for the district that encompasses several Boston suburbs.

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“They’re not stopping Trump. They’re not making life more affordable. They’re not building a party for the working class. That’s why we need to rebuild the Democratic Party,” he continued.

In the video, he noted how his father was “detained and deported” when Paz was 14 years old, noting that he’s “the proud son of Bolivian immigrants.”

“From organizing renters’ rights in Waltham to standing up to big tech and now resisting Trump’s ICE, I’ve seen what’s possible when we organize our communities and stay true to our principles,” he said.

His group, Fuerza, is meant to counter ICE activities in the region with around 100 volunteers, NBC 10 Boston noted. ICE has had a significant presence in the Boston area, with the agency touting thousands of arrests with “Operation Patriot” and “Operation Patriot 2.0.”

“We try to get up really early in the morning, do our patrols, get out there, find out where there are the threats in the community,” Paz told the outlet in July. “We go out and investigate … but part of that has to do with building relationships on the ground.”

As for Clark, she has been in Congress since 2013 and has served as whip under House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries since 2023.

However, her primary challenge is not the first in Massachusetts, as Sen. Ed Markey is facing a primary challenge from Rep. Seth Moulton, a critic of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

In New York, Jeffries also faced a major primary challenge from New York City Councilman Chi Ossé, but the councilman failed to secure the backing he sought from the Democratic Socialists of America to move forward.

“Exploring the possibility of this run was important. As committed, I will not be launching this campaign without the support of DSA, and so the exploration process is concluded,” Ossé stated on December 5, according to NY1. His short-lived bid could have been considered an early test of DSA’s influence in New York City following Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral victory, but Mamdani himself was not a fan of Jeffries facing a primary challenger, POLITICO reported.

The Daily Wire reached out to Clark’s campaign for comment.