At this moment, the United States is facing a great divide that threatens the unity this country promises; there is prominent controversy across the nation regarding the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which is responsible for enforcing federal laws governing border control, customs, trade, and immigration. Formed in 2003 after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, ICE’s main goal is to identify, detain, and remove undocumented immigrants — an attempt to prevent future terrorist attacks, and stop illegal trade and human trafficking. However, the ethics of this organization are being pulled into question after a history of unethical decisions, as well as recent controversies involving deaths and wrongful arrests of immigrants, with some instances including U.S. citizens.
On January 7 at 9 a.m., U.S. citizen Renee Good was shot and killed by ICE agents during a confrontation in her car in Minneapolis. She was transported to the hospital after being shot four times and died approximately an hour later. Witnesses told news outlets that they saw Good enter her car while two ICE agents stood on either side of the vehicle, attempting to get in. A third agent reportedly “came and tried to yank the door on the driver’s side,” according to reports. Federal officials, however, described Good as a rioter and stated that while ICE was conducting an operation, she attempted to run agents over with her vehicle, prompting one agent to fire shots in what was described as self-defense. There are many controversies surrounding this incident, with some claiming she was innocent and others labeling her a “domestic terrorist.” Since then, ICE has faced increased public scrutiny over multiple incidents nationwide.
There have been several shootings nationwide involving ICE and other federal immigration agents, with many of the individuals involved identified as immigrants. Among the widely discussed incidents are the non-fatal shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, and the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal Border Patrol officers; Sosa-Celis was wounded in the leg during the January 14 incident, and charges against him and a co-defendant were later dismissed after prosecutors said new evidence contradicted the government’s account, while Pretti, a U.S. citizen and ICU nurse, was killed on January 24 in a separate Minneapolis encounter. As of February 17, it remains unclear whether the FBI or other authorities will release additional information or evidence related to either shooting.
Because of the incidents, as well as the rise in deportations across the United States, some government officials and citizens have criticized ICE’s actions as overly aggressive, arguing that the agency should be abolished or placed under stricter oversight. Legislation proposing the abolition of ICE. has been introduced on the official U.S. Congress website.
Whether or not ICE should be abolished remains a matter of public debate. Still, many people — even those in traditionally conservative states — are criticising the ethics of the agency. People want a way to deal with dangerous immigrants without harming U.S. citizens. Others contend that the violent acts of ICE are a direct threat to immigrant communities and undermine the nation’s commitment to equality and unity, arguing that the United States of America cannot be considered ‘United’ without the equality of everyone who resides in it.
