Shutting Down America to Keep ICE Alive
📰 THE STORY: An opinion piece in The Hill argues that Democrats should threaten a government shutdown to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), portraying it as a bold progressive stance to curb the agency's controversial practices. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: ICE was created in 2003 as part of the Department of Homeland Security under the George W. Bush
administration, consolidating immigration enforcement functions that had existed in various forms for decades. This was a bipartisan move in the wake of 9/11, drastically expanding the scope and military-style tactics of immigration enforcement. The agency rapidly expanded its detention capabilities, leading to documented abuses long before any 'progressive' calls for its abolition gained
traction. It wasn't abolished when Democrats held unified control of Congress and the White House in the Obama years, highlighting the deep institutional roots of its existence. Double Standard: Mainstream media decries 'weaponization' of government agencies when it suits their particular political narrative, yet often provides cover or silent acceptance when these same agencies target
marginalized communities or serve broader imperialist goals. While the article frames abolition as an extreme measure, it largely ignores the consistent human rights outcry from international bodies and domestic advocacy groups for decades regarding ICE's conduct, including family separations and inhumane detention conditions that would be condemned as authoritarian state practices in nations