Congress Must Abolish ICE And Halt ICE’s Militarized Policing

Urgent Call To Abolish ICE In The Wake Of Deadly Federal Enforcement I write to urge you to sponsor and support legislation to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and replace it with a smaller, civilian immigration enforcement system grounded in due process and democratic accountability. The recent fatal shooting of a Minneapolis driver during an ICE enforcement operation has shocked the public and raised questions about federal use-of-force standards, transparency, and accountability. When a civilian enforcement agency becomes capable of lethal encounters with Americans, it is a warning sign that its structure and culture are incompatible with democratic norms. What Lawful Immigration Enforcement Should Look Like A democratic society does have legitimate reasons to administer immigration laws. Functions such as verifying work authorization, investigating serious transnational crimes, and executing final removal orders after full judicial process are lawful and necessary. No serious reform effort denies these essential needs. ICE’s Abuses Are Not Isolated Incidents However, ICE as currently constructed has evolved into a militarized agency that routinely operates with secrecy, broad discretion, and limited meaningful oversight. Its tactics have generated widespread fear in immigrant communities, undermined trust in local law enforcement, and produced repeated allegations of civil liberties violations, racial profiling, and abusive detention practices. These are not isolated failures. They are structural ones. The Deadly Consequences Of Treating Immigration Enforcement As Warfare The Minneapolis killing illustrates how easily ICE operations can escalate into deadly confrontations. When a civil immigration agency behaves like a paramilitary force, ordinary law enforcement mistakes become fatal. The public is left with unanswered questions, delayed transparency, and eroded confidence in the rule of law. Across the country, ICE enforcement teams are often seen in heavy tactical gear - helmets, body armor, camouflage, and face coverings - projecting the image of a military unit rather than a civilian agency. This militarized appearance shapes how agents behave, how communities respond, and how quickly encounters escalate. Voters Want A Different Approach Polling now shows that large segments of the American public disapprove of ICE’s conduct and support fundamental reform or abolition. This shift reflects a growing recognition that immigration enforcement must be humane, transparent, and accountable to civilian authority, not modeled on military-style operations. Immigration Enforcement Can Be Civilian And Lawful Abolishing ICE does not mean abandoning immigration enforcement. It means rebuilding it. Essential compliance functions can be reassigned to civilian agencies with clear mandates, strict due process protections, transparent reporting requirements, and meaningful judicial review. Democracies do not rely on fear. They rely on legitimacy. Concrete Steps To Restore Democratic Oversight I urge you to speak out publicly against ICE’s current structure, hold comprehensive oversight hearings on its use of force, detention conditions, and accountability failures, and sponsor legislation to abolish ICE and replace it with a civilian, rights-respecting framework. Thank you.