Former US Attorney Argues Against Abolishing ICE

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The author, a former federal prosecutor who worked with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for 25 years, argues against calls to abolish the agency. While acknowledging the problems with the Trump administration's immigration policies, the author believes that abolishing ICE would not solve the underlying issues and could lead to the creation of an even worse agency under Trump. The author suggests that the focus should be on removing Trump from power through the electoral process rather than dismantling ICE.

Why it matters

This op-ed provides an insider's perspective on the debate around abolishing ICE, highlighting the complexities and potential unintended consequences of such a move. It challenges the common narrative that abolishing ICE would automatically lead to more just and humane immigration policies, and instead argues that the real problem is the Trump administration's abuse of federal agencies to further its own political agenda.

The details

The author, Michael J. Stern, worked as a federal prosecutor for 25 years and had positive experiences working with ICE agents, including on cases involving child pornography and drug trafficking. However, he acknowledges that under the Trump administration, ICE has been transformed into an agency that engages in unlawful and inhumane practices, such as ignoring due process, deporting people to countries they've never been to, and using excessive force against peaceful protesters. Despite this, Stern believes that abolishing ICE would not solve the underlying issues, as Trump would simply create a new agency, the Department of Illegal Aliens, that would be even worse. Stern argues that the focus should be on removing Trump from power through the electoral process, as the barbarism of his immigration policies is unlikely to change until the next presidential election.

• In 2010, the author secured a 35-year prison sentence for a suspected pedophile while working with an ICE agent.
• The author worked with ICE during the Obama administration, when the Department of Justice aggressively prosecuted, rather than protected, pedophiles.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The author suggests that the focus should be on removing Trump from power through the electoral process, as the barbarism of his immigration policies is unlikely to change until the next presidential election.