Afrasianet - Raed Salha - Successive reports and incidents have revealed a horrific record of abuses by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, including killings, beatings and kidnappings, as President Donald Trump's hardline immigration enforcement crackdown has given the agency unprecedented political cover, according to critics.
The shooting death of Renee Goode, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen and mother of three, by an ICE officer this week highlighted what he described as the agency's "unruly" behavior. It came amid Vice President J.D. Vance's insistence that immigration officers enjoy "absolute immunity" from prosecution, a claim that lawmakers and lawmakers have rejected.
The violations were not limited to irregular immigrants, as several U.S. cities witnessed shootings and assaults during operations carried out by masked officers in military uniforms, including raids on places of worship, schools, hotels, restaurants, farms and shops. Twenty-four hours after Goode was killed, Border Patrol agents opened fire, wounding two people in Portland, fueling public outrage.
The Minnesota Immigration Law Center said entire communities had been "terrorized" by armed elements harassing and kidnapping people in schools, workplaces, streets and homes. Senator Jeff Merkley said ICE had "done nothing to make communities safer," calling for a full investigation and a halt to dangerous operations.
The Marshall Project reported that Goode's killing was not an isolated incident, noting that federal agents have killed at least three other people in the past five months, shooting at least nine people inside their vehicles, with repeated threats to use lethal force.
ProPublica has also documented serious physical assaults against Americans and detainees, including beatings, stunting and shooting, and accusations of sexual assault inside detention facilities. Protesters, teachers and students were attacked with tear gas during raids near schools and shops.
In the face of this record, lawmakers have moved to impose restrictions on the agency, including proposals to mandate arrest warrants, ban masks during operations, and limit the duties of border guards. Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Calif.) also announced her intention to introduce articles to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noum, accusing her of unleashing a "reign of terror."
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez warned that ICE is becoming "unaccountable," saying, "It's a nightmare. They work without accountability. We have seen them kill an American citizen in cold blood in the street. This is an agency that must be curbed."
