Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) escalated partisan attacks on federal immigration enforcement Friday, accusing Immigration and Customs Enforcement of serving as President Donald Trumps paramilitary force on the streets of American cities.
According to Breitbart, Garcia used his appearance on CNNs The Arena to portray ICE agents as lawless, despite the agencys statutory mandate to enforce immigration law and protect public safety. His remarks reflect a broader Democrat effort to delegitimize federal enforcement while progressive cities resist cooperation with immigration authorities.
Garcia claimed, What ICE is doing, wearing masks, throwing people to the ground, having no respect for the community, throwing tear gas into cars, detaining American U.S. citizens for no reason, and then letting them go days after detainment and now firing into moving vehicles that are theyre moving away from an officer, that does nothing but not only harm the trust in agencies in the federal government, but the trust in local law enforcement. He further asserted, Local law enforcement right now, across this across this country are also terrified of what ICE is doing and the harm its causing their own departments. Its shameful.
He added, I think what Democrats need to do is absolutely reform it. First of all, ICE didnt exist in its current form before 9/11. This is a new agency. Garcia went on, And the ICE of Donald Trump, the ICE of today, which is larger than its ever been, is essentially Donald Trumps own police force that he is using to carry out, in some cases, things that our own military have turned their back, that they wont do on behalf of Donald Trump.
He wants his own paramilitary force on the streets of American cities, and the actions that theyre taking are wrong, Garcia insisted, casting routine enforcement as political repression rather than law and order.
Theyre causing damage to relationships within the community, between law enforcement and anyone with their own vision. And two eyes can see these videos, not just this one, but other incidents. That ICE right now is completely out of control under the direction of Kristi Noem.
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