It's Official, Democrats Want to Abolish ICE

Democrats spent years pretending they only wanted to "reform" U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This weekend, the mask came off. At the Democratic National Committee's summer meeting in Austin, Tex., on Saturday, party members approved two competing, non-binding immigration proposals, one calling for reforming ICE, and one calling for abolishing it outright.

Technically, neither measure sets official Democrat Party policy. That gets hashed out at the 2028 convention, but the foundation has been laid. At the very least, it leaves individual candidates and lawmakers free to say whatever they want between now and then. But the fact that the abolition resolution passed at all tells you where the energy in the party actually is, no matter how many Democrats try to hide behind the word "reform" on the campaign trail.

Louisiana DNC member Michele Johnson introduced the abolition measure. She argued that Democrats need to stop hedging and take a firmer stand, citing the historical breakup of ICE's predecessor agency, the Immigration and Naturalization Service, as precedent. Johnson said the party's cautious, poll-tested messaging is part of why voters don't trust Democrats in the first place. She's not wrong about the distrust. She's just blaming the wrong thing for it.

DNC member Yvonne Reeves-Chong voted against the abolition measure, warning it would only energize one slice of the base while alienating everyone else. She said Democrats should focus on winning elections first, and worry about policy later. That's the sound of a party operative who understands "abolish ICE" tested disastrously the last time Democrats tried it.

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According to DNC Chairman Ken Martin, Democrats agree that the conduct of ICE and Customs and Border Protection has to change, adding, "There has to be a better way."

The politics here should worry Democrats more than the polling. An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll released in August found immigration remains a stronger issue for President Donald Trump than the economy or Iran.

Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters wasted no time turning the vote into a weapon. "Democrats made it official: they care more about protecting violent illegal aliens than American families," Gruters said. "While President Trump and Republicans are securing our border and standing with law enforcement, Democrats want to let dangerous illegal criminals run wild in our communities. This resolution is political suicide, and Democrats will pay for choosing open borders over public safety, border security, and backing the blue."

Democrats can spend the next two years arguing among themselves about whether to reform ICE or abolish it. But just having that debate will be a problem for them, because voters believe in strong borders and the rule of law. The polls show it, and now the Democratic National Committee is on record voting in favor of a policy proposal to abolish ICE. Does anyone really see this working in their favor, especially while they’re trying to distance themselves from the socialist wing of the party?

Good luck with that.

Editor’s Note: Democrat politicians and their radical supporters will do everything they can to interfere with and threaten ICE agents enforcing our immigration laws.

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