Slotkin criticizes Trump’s ICE raids, plans for schools
Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) criticized President Trump’s recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids and his acknowledgment that schools could be targeted.
Slotkin was asked on ABC's "This Week" to weigh in on the new developments under the Trump administration and their mass deportation plans.
“I just don’t understand, if the focus and the priority is on criminals, I’m not sure going after an 11-year-old is where you start,” Slotkin said.
The Michigan senator highlighted what she sees as inconsistencies between what is being said and what is being done regarding deportation.
“Going after places that were not sanctuary cities, kind of in this sort of arbitrary way,” she said.
“The idea of going … to children and terrorizing children, I just don’t believe in supporting that kind of action,” Slotkin continued. “And I don’t believe that most Americans think that 11 and 12 year olds are the ones who are the hardened criminals that need to go back to their countries.”
Within the first few days in office, Trump has begun his deportation plan, sending ICE into various communities and arresting migrants on their list. The administration proudly announced that the first flight had taken off with those migrants, sending them back to their home countries.
Trump has formally authorized ICE to begin arresting people in schools and churches, rescinding a guideline that prevented arrests in “sensitive” areas.
While there are broad concerns about Trump’s immigration plan, the concept of interrupting children’s lives at school is seen as an unpopular tactic for ICE to make its desired arrests.
Slotkin said she believes the Trump team is still in campaign mode and needs to shift to governing.
“They campaigned on this,” she said of the deportations. “And one of the things that, to me, has been a real hallmark when I listed to some of these immigration announcements lately, is that it’s like they’re still in the campaign right now.”