Xyon Gavula

ICE is proving to be a danger to the American people.

When President Trump came into office for his second term, he put roughly $29.9 billion dollars towards the ICE agency and deployed it to various states to find immigrants and deport them back to their home country. ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) is an agency under the Department of Homeland Security that enforces immigration and customs laws with the goal of protecting national security and the citizens of the U.S. However, the agency and its powers have not been used the way it was intended to function.

The agency’s real goal is to protect the country and people of it by detaining and deporting illegal immigrants that could cause harm.

However, ICE has been receiving a lot of hate and backlash from the people of the U.S. due to the unnecessary brutality and careless nature of the agents working for ICE and how they are performing their jobs. Many instances of this violence involve physical assaults, shootings and the excessive use of force during arrests and protests. It is starting to feel like the entirety of ICE is participating in this cruel behavior and not just a few agents.

An unfortunate instance of this brutality occurred recently with the death of a woman named Renee Nicole Good. Good was stopped in her car observing the ICE agents during a major ICE enforcement operation in South Minneapolis. Some ICE agents noticed her partially blocking the road and went to confront her, with one of the agents attempting to forcefully open her door.

Renee started reversing, turning the car’s wheels away from the ICE agents in an attempt to flee from them. However, one of the agents, now identified as Agent Jonathan Ross, fired multiple shots at Renee through the windshield, killing her and causing the vehicle to crash into a parked car nearby.

Protests in Minneapolis broke out soon after the death of Good, with a ton of people demanding ICE leave Minnesota and calling for justice for Good. The state of Minnesota itself, along with Illinois, is suing ICE and the Trump administration, claiming the immigration operation is a “federal invasion.”

Yet, in response to the protest happening in Minneapolis, the Trump Administration has sent even more ICE agents to the area to suppress and control the protests, doing the exact opposite of what the people are asking for. Trump vowed a day of “reckoning and retribution” would be upon Minneapolis if the “Democrats” kept causing unrest.

The saddest part is that President Donald Trump sided with the ICE agent on social media, claiming Renee had a weaponized vehicle and “violently, willfully, and viciously ran over the ICE agent.” However, various videos taken by neighbors and other observers prove otherwise, displaying Renee turning her normal car away from the men in an attempt to flee.

Additionally, Vice President J.D. Vance also backed the ICE agents, saying Renee’s death was “a tragedy of her own making.” He also claimed she was part of a protest interfering with the law enforcement action, which has been proven to be entirely untrue, since she was there as a legal observer, and did not engage with the agents until they came to her.

Renee was not doing anything wrong or illegal; it is a good thing for citizens of a community to act as observers. Observers watch law enforcement activity and, in some cases, document it. This action from community members helps ensure the safety of communities since it provides evidence of a dispute with law enforcement, in this case, ICE, were to be taken to court or need to be analyzed to defend an innocent person that has been discriminated against or harmed. However, despite Renee being innocent and staying within her rights as a citizen and observer, the ICE agent did show any signs of caring or mercy toward her.

This, and more, has greatly angered, while also instilling fear into, the people of the U.S. This has led to protests and calls to abolish the agency overall.

Many polls have been sent out, some saying ICE operations are too tough (53% agreed), or that they have taken it too far (54% agreed), and some have outright asked if the people disapprove of how ICE is enforcing immigration laws (57% disapproved).

Yet, this disapproval rating has not stopped ICE from continuing its unjust actions.

On top of harsh brutality, assaults, and even deadly shootings, ICE has been unable to perform its actual job correctly, deporting immigrants. ICE has deported multiple people inaccurately just because they do not fit the perfect American appearance.

One of the various cases of this is of a U.S. veteran and Purple Heart recipient, José Barco, who served the U.S. military in Iraq, and was taken to an immigration detention facility in Arizona. He was born in Venezuela, but has lived in the United States since he was around the age of four. He was unable to get a chance to talk to his family or inform anyone of his situation before he was deported.

And, unfortunately, he is not the only U.S. citizen or veteran that has been mistakenly deported by ICE.

Additionally, many Native Americans have been wrongfully detained by ICE even though indigenous people can’t be deported. Maria Nunez was being picked up by her family when she was confronted and later detained by ICE agents. She was apparently “recognized as an immigrant” despite being Native American and having a tribal ID.

This simply goes to show that ICE will detain anyone who does not fit the perfect white American appearance, even without proof of a person being an immigrant. Thankfully, Nunez and her family were able to convince the agents to release Nunez and reunite.

In response to the threat of ICE, protests have broken out all across the nation; in fact, even our home of Delaware, Ohio has joined in, speaking out against the awful and repulsive behavior of ICE and the Trump administration. Every Saturday afternoon, people gather in downtown Delaware in protest, holding signs and chanting for change.

The schools of Ohio, along with other parts of the nation, are also taking part in the protest. Dublin Scioto High School, Westerville North, and other areas have walked out of class to protest against ICE activity. Students have stood outside for a full class period, holding signs and chanting in opposition to ICE’s presence, stating that it is making them feel less safe at school and in the community overall.

The saddest part about all of this is that the government has done nothing to stop the ICE brutality or mistaken deportations. It is unfortunate to see the people of power move on like there is no issue, like there aren’t innocent people being killed by an agency that is meant to protect the U.S.

All in all, something definitely needs to be done to stop this. ICE, under the Trump Administration is not prioritizing the safety of the people like it is intended to do. The Trump Administration is using the agency to unfairly and mercilessly deport both U.S. citizens and immigrants on unjust terms.

ICE has now caused the people to fear it and no longer symbolizes protection, but rather aggression. If the government is seriously fine with this, then everyone really needs to rethink what this nation stands for.

The Trump Administration is tossing aside the American values of equality and democracy by using the ICE agency to promote nationalism and violence.