Gallego Calls for ICE's Demise, Ignores the Iron Maiden on the Border
Representative Ruben Gallego, now preparing to run for Senate, has declared that 'ICE needs to be totally torn down,' a pronouncement that echoes prior progressive calls. While ICE's record on human rights and due process is indeed abysmal, critics might note that this sentiment gains mainstream traction only after an administration, supported by many current 'reformers,' significantly expanded
ICE's footprint and capabilities. The agency, established under the Department of Homeland Security in 2003, wasn't 'torn down' during its most aggressive enforcement periods, particularly under the Obama-Biden administration which deported more individuals than any presidency in history. (Source: Human Rights Watch, 'Deportations and Due Process: Observations from Obama’s America') So, the
question isn't just 'tear it down,' but 'why now?' Is it an actual commitment to dismantling a dehumanizing apparatus, or a conveniently timed campaign slogan to appeal to a certain electorate, hoping voters forget the years migrants spent in cages built under bipartisan watch? It's almost as if the 'outrage' is less about the inherent cruelty and more about political optics once the heat is off
the previous architects. One might genuinely wonder how many 'totally torn down' pledges become 'slightly reformed and rebranded' once the primary elections are over.