Democrats will be badly bruised if they put abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as their main campaign issue for the upcoming elections, warned President Donald Trump. His warning rang as more liberals joined calls to dismantle the agency nationwide.
Hundreds of thousands rallied around the country on Saturday to protest the immigration policy which resulted in more than 2,000 children being separated from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border. In DC alone, an estimated 30,000 people convened on Lafayette Square on Saturday to protest the “inhumane” treatment of undocumented immigrants at the U.S.-Mexico border.
In an interview with Fox News set to be aired on Sunday, Trump said Democrats will be “beaten so badly” if the party rallies around the “abolish ICE” movement.
According to Fox, Trump said: “Well I hope they keep thinking about it. Because they’re going to get beaten so badly..You know ICE, these are the guys that go in and take MS-13, and they take them out. Because they’re much tougher than MS-13, like by a factor of 10. And these are the ones — you get rid of ICE you’re going to have a country that you’re going to be afraid to walk out of your house.”
Democrats led by the likes of Elizabeth Warren, Kirsten Gillibrand, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bill de Blasio have openly called for dismantling ICE in protesting Trump’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy.
“The president’s deeply immoral actions have made it obvious: We need to rebuild our immigration system from top to bottom, starting by replacing ICE with something that reflects our morality and that works,” Warren said.
“If we are to uphold civic justice, we must abolish ICE and see to it that our undocumented neighbors are treated with the dignity and respect owed to all people, regardless of citizenship status,” Ocasio-Cortez advocated.
Trump’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy at the American borders continues despite the President signing an executive order earlier this month which ended family separations. ICE which has been the enforcer of this strict border control policy has borne the brunt of the protesters.
ICE spokeswoman Liz Johnson on Friday condemned calls to abolish the agency as “dangerously misguided”.
“Instead of being insulted with politically-motivated attacks, the men and women of ICE should be praised for risking life and limb every day in the name of national security and public safety,” Johnson said.
In the midst of such political backlash, President Trump has tweeted his support for ICE.
To the great and brave men and women of ICE, do not worry or lose your spirit. You are doing a fantastic job of keeping us safe by eradicating the worst criminal elements. So brave! The radical left Dems want you out. Next it will be all police. Zero chance, It will never happen!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 30, 2018
“To the great and brave men and women of ICE, do not worry or lose your spirit. You are doing a fantastic job of keeping us safe by eradicating the worst criminal elements. So brave! The radical left Dems want you out. Next it will be all police. Zero chance, It will never happen!” – President of the USA Donald Trump