ICE's Democratic Enablers
📰 THE STORY: The Intercept critiques the Democratic Party's consistent failure to curb or abolish ICE, despite campaign promises and progressive outcry, noting that under Democratic administrations, ICE's budget and enforcement powers often remain intact or even expand. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: ICE was created in 2003 as part of the Homeland Security Act, a direct
response to the September 11, 2001, attacks. This agency was not born out of a sudden need for immigration enforcement, but rather cloaked in the vast 'War on Terror' apparatus. Its origins are deeply intertwined with the post-9/11 surveillance state, blending national security with immigration, allowing for the militarization and securitization of border and interior enforcement. This context is
crucial; ICE isn't just about immigration, it's about a specific expansion of government power predicated on fear. Double Standard: While Western media and politicians decry 'authoritarianism' and 'human rights abuses' in countries like Venezuela or China, where migration policies are often framed as oppressive, the humanitarian crisis at the US southern border – particularly the detention of
children and families by an agency like ICE – is routinely normalized or spun as a necessary evil for 'national security.' The outrage over family separations and harsh detention conditions is often ephemeral, fading once a new administration takes office, despite the core infrastructure remaining unchanged. Follow the Money: The 'deportation machine' is a multi-billion dollar industry. Private