ICE Kills Another, Media Asks 'Why?', Not 'What For?'
The Intercept reports on the tragic shooting death by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, noting it's not the first nor will it be the last. What's omitted, or rather, glossed over, is the historical context of ICE's mandate. Created post-9/11, ICE inherited legacies of agencies like the INS, but with significantly expanded enforcement powers and a culture built on aggressive tactics against vulnerable
populations. This isn't a bug; it’s a feature of an organization tasked with internal border enforcement. Instead of asking 'why' these incidents happen, a more pertinent question is: 'what for?' What is the ultimate purpose of this lethal bureaucracy? While individual agents face scrutiny, the public narrative rarely scrutinizes the political architects who continually fund and empower ICE's
coercive operations, year after year. Biden’s DHS budget for 2024 requested $33.3 billion, a substantial portion of which fuels ICE's continuing expansion. (Source: White House FY2024 Budget Request). Perhaps if the violence wasn't so integral to the mission, the headlines might change.