'Squad' member brands ICE 'racist' and 'rogue' in call to abolish agency
Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., a member of the progressive "Squad," called for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to be abolished on Sunday, saying the agency was "racist" and "rogue."
"The actions of ICE — they are unconstitutional, unlawful, they are cruel," Pressley said on MS NOW. "They are rogue, they are racist, and they are terrorizing communities."
Pressley called the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis "horrific and unacceptable." Good was killed in a confrontation with ICE agents after federal authorities said she attempted to run over one of the officers. While the Trump administration is standing firmly behind the officer who shot Good, many Democrats are claiming the killing was unjustified.
"This harm does not discriminate. It is coming for everyone," she said. "And that is exactly why ICE must be stopped, because they’re not operating with any constitutional due diligence. They are lawless, they are masked thugs. So, whether you are a White woman, whether you are Black or Brown, certainly our most vulnerable communities are the most vulnerable to the attacks of this rogue agency, but all of our communities are vulnerable to the attacks of this rogue agency."
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MS NOW host Jackie Alemany pressed Pressley on whether her long-held belief that ICE should be abolished and the Biden administration's unpopular border policy had contributed to the moment they're in now.
Pressley argued that the agency couldn't be reformed.
"This has nothing to do with training or new protocols. This is about cultural practices that have been underway for many years," Pressley responded. "I believe in doing that radical work and getting to the root cause of things. Again, Congress has the power of the purse and appropriations. We need to use it in this moment because this harm is coming for everyone."
She said Americans do not feel safer and called President Donald Trump a dictator.
"I will continue to demand an independent and thorough investigation, continue to call on Congress in this moment to use appropriations and the power of the purse to rein in ICE. Again, I believe it should be abolished. We need public hearings and accountability," she said.
The White House condemned Pressley's words.
"ICE officers are facing a massive increase in assaults against them because of dangerous, untrue smears from elected Democrats. ICE officers act heroically to enforce the law and protect American communities with the utmost professionalism. Anyone pointing the finger at law enforcement officers instead of the criminals are simply doing the bidding of criminal illegal aliens," White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital.
ICE did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.