Vance's 'Immunity' Backtrack: A PR Gambit for ICE's Reign of Terror
📰 THE STORY: Vice President JD Vance reportedly backtracked his earlier assertion that ICE agents are protected by 'absolute immunity,' following a meeting with immigration agents in Minneapolis, as covered by the New York Times. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: ICE was formed in 2003 as part of the Department of Homeland Security, a direct response to 9/11 fear-mongering. Its
creation consolidated immigration enforcement, granting it unprecedented powers, often operating outside traditional oversight. This 'immunity' discussion isn't new; it echoes decades of debates around police brutality and state-sanctioned violence, where legal doctrines like 'qualified immunity' shield agents from accountability for constitutional violations unless their conduct violates 'clearly
established statutory or constitutional rights.' The difference between 'absolute' and 'qualified' immunity is often negligible for victims. Double Standard: While the US media fixates on whether ICE agents have 'absolute' or 'qualified' immunity, it largely ignores the absolute immunity afforded to Israeli forces ethnically cleansing Gaza. Imagine a US politician 'clarifying' immunity for IDF
soldiers bombing hospitals – the very question would be deemed absurd, yet the operational impunity is functionally the same for the victims. The debate here is a red herring, attempting to sanitize an agency whose very operations are often condemned by human rights groups. Follow the Money: The Department of Homeland Security, under which ICE operates, received $60.7 billion in discretionary