Rep. Analilia Mejia (D-NJ) used a national television appearance to call for the abolition and replacement of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), even in cases involving individuals with deportation orders.
During an edition of NBCs Meet the Press NOW, guest host Kelly ODonnell pressed Mejia on whether it is appropriate for ICE to remove an illegal immigrant who has already received a deportation order, according to Breitbart. ODonnell asked, Just to clarify for our audience your position, if someone is here illegally, if theyve had a deportation order, do you believe its appropriate for ICE to remove them?
Mejia, aligning herself with the hard-left flank of her party, avoided a direct yes-or-no endorsement of enforcing existing immigration law. Instead, she responded, More than anything, I believe in the Constitution and the fact that every single person in these United States has a right to due process and equal protection. So, I would like to see our government actually adhering to the Constitution. I believe that we need to abolish and replace ICE.
While briefly acknowledging the need for border controls, Mejia framed current enforcement as a broader threat to the public. Of course we need to have a system, an immigration system so that we have the safety and integrity of our nation at the forefront, but the bottom line is, these practices are putting every American at risk. Her remarks underscore the widening divide between Democrats who seek to dismantle immigration enforcement and conservatives who argue that abolishing ICE would erode the rule of law, weaken national sovereignty, and further endanger American communities already grappling with the consequences of unchecked illegal immigration.
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