We can’t make ICE a kinder, gentler agency of oppression, so why are the Democrats proposing just that?

What is the goal of the immigrant justice movement when it comes to to ICE? Do we want to make ICE nicer? Do we want to limit what ICE can do? Or, do we want to abolish ICE?

These are not merely rhetorical questions, but questions that cut to the core of what the immigration justice movement should be about, which is the abolition of ICE.

I ask these questions, because right now Democratic politicians at both the State and Federal level are calling for mild restrictions on what ICE can do. In July I wrote a response to Senator Slotkin’s proposed legislation about prohibiting ICE agents from covering their faces. In that article, I stated: 

Everything about this proposed legislation is not only wrong, it would help to strength state carceral violence. What we need is to embrace a more abolitionist framework into our efforts to resist ICE. This is exactly what Detention Watch Network staffer and longtime activist Silky Shah writes about in her amazing book, Unbuild Walls: Why Immigrant Justice Needs Abolition. 

Now, Michigan State Senators and Representatives have introduced legislation that will merely limit where ICE can go to arrest and detain immigrants, limitations on sharing private information, and prevent ICE from covering their faces. The State Senate version are bills S508, S509 and S510. 

• S508 would limit where ICE can go. 
• S509 would limit government entities with sharing information with federal agents.
• S510 would prevent ICE agents from covering their face, except for medical reasons and health prevention. If S510 were to pass it would be a misdemeanor and ICE agents could be fined $500. Sounds pretty damn weak. 

When State Representative held a Press Conference they said President Donald Trump’s administration’s immigration crackdown has gone too far. Too far? So, by this statement, we see that since ICE was created in 2003, up until just now, the Democrats have been essentially ok with the function and practice of ICE and ICE agents. It means that during the Administration of George W. Bush, Barack Obama, the first four years of Donald Trump, and the Administration of Joe Biden the Democratic Party did not think that ICE was going too far. Interestingly enough, under each of these administrations ICE was arresting, detaining and deporting millions of immigrants. 

It is important that we stop supporting politicians who merely want to make mild reforms to institutions that are inherently oppressive. Requiring cops to wear body cameras has not reduced the number of times that cops abuse or kill people they are targeting. In fact, since body cameras have been introduced, the number of people killed by cops has increased, according to mappingpoliceviolence.org.

Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) is an inherently oppressive system of state carceral violence. For those who think that these proposed reformist pieces of legislation by Michigan Democratic lawmakers is a good start, fundamentally means you have supported ICE since they were founded until now, which means you have supported the arrest, detention and deportation of millions of immigrants since 2003. Abolish ICE Now!