Over the weekend, Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., told Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner to “lighten up, Francis” after Krasner criticized him on CNN for his stance on immigration enforcement. 

The exchange followed Krasner’s CNN appearance, where he called Fetterman “the favorite Democratic senator of Donald Trump” and accused him of selling out his principles. Krasner said Fetterman’s actions were “completely unacceptable for anyone who actually believes in democracy and who actually believes in the rule of law.”

Krasner’s comments came after he compared U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to Nazis, stating, “This is a small bunch of wannabe Nazis, that’s what they are, in a country of 350 million. We outnumber them… If we have to hunt you down the way they hunted down Nazis for decades, we will find your identities, we will find you, we will achieve justice.”

Fetterman responded in a Fox News interview, calling Krasner’s remarks pandering. “I’m not going to criticize or attack him,” Fetterman said, but added, “Regardless, that’s a hard rule for anyone — don’t compare anyone to Nazis.” 

Fetterman has pushed for deporting criminal migrants and securing the border, urging Democrats to oppose calls to abolish ICE.

Fetterman has a habit of divergin from his party’s position on major issues. In his recent book, he argued the party had grown elitist and disconnected from the working class. Fetterman wrote, “We became the party of the elites, one that had lost touch with its base.” 

He faulted Democrats on immigration, saying they insisted “up and down that the border was secure and telling its voters to not believe their own eyes.” Fetterman indicated this approach contributed to election defeats, noting, “You can’t tell people to not believe their own eyes and expect to win elections.” 

Fetterman was the first Senate Democrat to meet with President Donald Trump post-election, and also voted to reopen the government during a shutdown, admitting he was “caving in” for practical reasons. 

Fetterman’s style extends to bipartisan ties, notably with Pennsylvania colleague Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Pa. The pair have forged a working bond despite differences. They dined in Pittsburgh with their wives soon after McCormick’s swearing-in. 

McCormick said they discussed “where we can work together to best serve Pennsylvania — from stopping the spread of fentanyl to fighting antisemitism and supporting Israel, and providing the best constituent services for the people of our commonwealth.”

The senators have collaborated on bills, including the Laken Riley Act, which mandates detaining illegal immigrants charged with theft and permits states to sue over immigration harms. 

Fetterman’s breaks from party lines and cross-aisle work reflect a focus on what he terms common-sense answers to U.S. challenges, ranging from immigration to working-class economic issues.