Confidence in ICE Declines as Public Wakes Up to its Real Purpose
📰 THE STORY: The Hill reports that a recent poll shows more than half of Americans have 'very little' confidence in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This decline in trust is attributed to public perception of the agency's enforcement actions and controversies surrounding its operations at the border and within communities. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: ICE
was not established to manage immigration; it was created in 2003 as part of the Department of Homeland Security in the post-9/11 fear-mongering era. Its primary function was to merge various enforcement agencies under a new umbrella of securitization, shifting immigration from a civil issue to a national security threat. This dramatically expanded its powers and budget, leading to aggressive
tactics reminiscent of earlier, darker periods of state control. For example, during the 'Operation Wetback' deportations in 1954, hundreds of thousands were rounded up, often without due process, in a chilling precursor to modern mass detentions. Double Standard: Western media often frames ICE's actions as necessary border security, while similar, often less egregious, actions by nations
challenging U.S. hegemony are decried as human rights abuses. When Venezuela or China manage their borders or detain individuals, it's 'authoritarianism.' When ICE separates families, detains children in cages, or conducts widespread raids, it's 'enforcement of law.' There's a glaring silence on the massive human rights violations documented by organizations like the ACLU regarding ICE's detention