Abolish ICE?

Immigration and Customs Enforcement, also known as ICE, is the federal government agency that handles the investigative functions of the Department of Homeland Security. It is responsible for ensuring laws are followed as goods and people move within the US. Most of the functions carried out by ICE are not usually seen by the public, or at least not within the full coverage of the news, except for one –the duty of enforcing immigration laws manifested by apprehending, detaining, and deporting undocumented immigrants.

ICE has been in the news lately because of the surge of raids, arrests, and deportations. It has become the face of the brutality of causing untoward pain of separation of families and the disintegration of immigrant communities. Because of this seemingly inhumane and immoral act of separating families, ICE bears the brunt of anti-deportation advocates who even compare their tactics to those used in Nazi Germany. Some politicians, mostly left-wing democrats, are quick to ride the bandwagon by calling for its total abolition. Some of the moderates prefer the restructuring of the agency, or even defunding it until it gets reorganized.

But the call for its total abolition is what gets everyone’s attention –democrats, republicans and even President Trump himself. In an interview, he said: “You get rid of ICE, you're going to have a country that you're going to be afraid to walk out of your house.” In his words, there is zero chance of abolishing ICE under his watch. Republicans pounced and hammered on this left-wing idea, bolstering their argument that the democrats are weak on national and border security. More centrist democrats are even lukewarm with some conceding that it is a distraction and a waste of time.

I think abolishing ICE is an ill-conceived idea and is just a knee-jerk reaction to the news of the day. While it may be a popular offering by self-serving politicians to immigrant communities, it is not palatable to the general public. If democrats are serious in winning the immigration issue, they should concentrate more on logical reforms rather than this radical alternative. Even if ICE is dissolved now, another agency will be created and it still has immigration enforcement powers.

Democrats should not forget that they do not control both chambers of Congress and Trump is still calling the shots at the White House. If they want to win in the next election, they are better off shelving this proposal, or else the independent voters and moderates will not be lining up for them. For political survival, this is not the policy that democrats want to embrace. For national survival, this is not an idea all Americans would agree to.

This column is not a substitute for professional legal advice obtained from a US licensed immigration attorney. The information contained herein does not constitute a warranty or guarantee or legal advice regarding a reader’s specific immigration case. No attorney-client relationship is and shall be established with any reader.

For any questions, comments and observations, please contact Atty. Marco Tomakin at [email protected]