The people of Minneapolis have been courageously confronting the Trump administration’s bullies in the streets. The least Democratic elected officials could do is confront the administration seriously in Congress. That means doing what they can to starve the Trumpist authoritarian beast.
Senate Democrats are actually pretty well positioned for the fight this week. A couple weeks ago, they were able to prevail on separating out the $64 billion DHS appropriations bill from the rest of a large 2026 funding package. They should now take the next step and make clear that they have no problem with funding the non-problematic parts of DHS—the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Coast Guard, the Secret Service, the Transportation Security Administration, and so on. They should propose separating those out and funding them now. Such legislation could be passed before Friday, when the continuing resolution expires. And if Republicans balk, shutting down the respectable parts of DHS would be on them.
Congress can reduce the ability of ICE and the Border Patrol to do these things. The simplest and most effective way to do so is to reduce these organizations’ funding—or at least to reduce the increase in their funding—as much as possible.
This whole abolish ICE thing is such idealistic bullshit. It’s the same thing as people screaming to abolish the police in 2020. What is the alternative to it? Some 22 year old social worker with a septum piercing rubbing the back of a violent criminal and asking he/she to please not. Thats sure not the response I want when someone pulls a knife on me on the subway.
ICE has a necessary job to be done. Their footprint can certainly be shrunk but we need about a decade or two of a strong border first.
I’m all for broadening our legal immigration to be from roughly 1 million to 2-3 million but I’ll never be one to stoop down to thinking illegal immigration is the way.
Uhhh, allowing anyone and their mother to come in with no repercussions seems like a good start? I think Trump showed how easy it is to secure the border. Biden’s policy was a choice not a mistake.
Allow as many people to come in regardless if they have a record of good morale or not and then the second they do, push for full citizenship status.
Here take it from the top leaders of the Democratic Party.
And this cycle is going to continue and truthfully, it’s just a losing game for republicans. Every time a democrat is in charge, they’re going to allow anyone to come in and add 15-20 million immigrants at least over a 4 year span. Republicans will then claim office again, secure the border but only be able to deport 300-500k per year. There will continue to remain a very heavy surplus of illegal immigrants with this game of leap frog.
Census maps will continue to be counted by how many people and not by how many citizens, sanctuary counties will continue to attract illegal immigrant populations and congress seats will continue to shift in democrats favor. I
I'm up for keeping the Border Patrol patrolling the border and even for extending their authority under careful regulation if need be, but having literal secret police terrorizing the nation is unacceptable no matter how much we need to identify illegal immigration. And no, I don't think trying to reform a white nationalist secret police force is a viable path either.
> Some 22 year old social worker with a septum piercing
Does that mean that you're fine with a 22-year-old with a Punisher tattoo who gets off on his power to kill and intimidate people of color? Because we have plenty of those now. Also, you need a graduate degree, a real-world internship, and a period of clinical supervision to be a licensed social worker, so they have way more training then police officers. And there aren't a lot of 22-year-olds walking around with Master's Degrees.
No, abolishing police forces entirely isn't a real-world solution, but alternative response options using people who are actually trained to deescalate people with serious mental illnesses without killing them would make our communities a lot safer.
And many police forces and unions are so practiced at avoiding any kind of actual accountability that it is certainly understandable that communities who are targeted by police rather than protected by them want the whole institution abolished and replaced by something that will make them actually feel safer.
[OP] D-R-AZ | 6 hours ago
Excerpts:
The people of Minneapolis have been courageously confronting the Trump administration’s bullies in the streets. The least Democratic elected officials could do is confront the administration seriously in Congress. That means doing what they can to starve the Trumpist authoritarian beast.
Senate Democrats are actually pretty well positioned for the fight this week. A couple weeks ago, they were able to prevail on separating out the $64 billion DHS appropriations bill from the rest of a large 2026 funding package. They should now take the next step and make clear that they have no problem with funding the non-problematic parts of DHS—the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Coast Guard, the Secret Service, the Transportation Security Administration, and so on. They should propose separating those out and funding them now. Such legislation could be passed before Friday, when the continuing resolution expires. And if Republicans balk, shutting down the respectable parts of DHS would be on them.
Congress can reduce the ability of ICE and the Border Patrol to do these things. The simplest and most effective way to do so is to reduce these organizations’ funding—or at least to reduce the increase in their funding—as much as possible.
Slitherama | 5 hours ago
The Super Bowl was great for defense enjoyers. Plus, the Pats offense was ineffective to a degree that was pretty entertaining.
nikdahl | 3 hours ago
I’m with you. Fuck the pats.
random_actuary | 5 hours ago
Abolish ICE. Don't take advice from warmongers.
BestiaAuris | 3 hours ago
Hey! Curling is exciting!
issabooradley | 4 hours ago
This whole abolish ICE thing is such idealistic bullshit. It’s the same thing as people screaming to abolish the police in 2020. What is the alternative to it? Some 22 year old social worker with a septum piercing rubbing the back of a violent criminal and asking he/she to please not. Thats sure not the response I want when someone pulls a knife on me on the subway.
ICE has a necessary job to be done. Their footprint can certainly be shrunk but we need about a decade or two of a strong border first.
I’m all for broadening our legal immigration to be from roughly 1 million to 2-3 million but I’ll never be one to stoop down to thinking illegal immigration is the way.
Dedotdub | 3 hours ago
>illegal immigration is the way
Who says this, specifically? The way I understand it everyone just wants DHS to do their job according to the rule of law and the Constitution.
issabooradley | 2 hours ago
Uhhh, allowing anyone and their mother to come in with no repercussions seems like a good start? I think Trump showed how easy it is to secure the border. Biden’s policy was a choice not a mistake.
Allow as many people to come in regardless if they have a record of good morale or not and then the second they do, push for full citizenship status.
Here take it from the top leaders of the Democratic Party.
https://youtube.com/shorts/LRelCN1aqZM?si=azmQMav_eByDpv53
https://youtube.com/shorts/vDK0ogv_fKg?si=r9uN6XSwBvlzrkyU
And this cycle is going to continue and truthfully, it’s just a losing game for republicans. Every time a democrat is in charge, they’re going to allow anyone to come in and add 15-20 million immigrants at least over a 4 year span. Republicans will then claim office again, secure the border but only be able to deport 300-500k per year. There will continue to remain a very heavy surplus of illegal immigrants with this game of leap frog.
Census maps will continue to be counted by how many people and not by how many citizens, sanctuary counties will continue to attract illegal immigrant populations and congress seats will continue to shift in democrats favor. I
g1rlchild | an hour ago
I'm up for keeping the Border Patrol patrolling the border and even for extending their authority under careful regulation if need be, but having literal secret police terrorizing the nation is unacceptable no matter how much we need to identify illegal immigration. And no, I don't think trying to reform a white nationalist secret police force is a viable path either.
> Some 22 year old social worker with a septum piercing
Does that mean that you're fine with a 22-year-old with a Punisher tattoo who gets off on his power to kill and intimidate people of color? Because we have plenty of those now. Also, you need a graduate degree, a real-world internship, and a period of clinical supervision to be a licensed social worker, so they have way more training then police officers. And there aren't a lot of 22-year-olds walking around with Master's Degrees.
No, abolishing police forces entirely isn't a real-world solution, but alternative response options using people who are actually trained to deescalate people with serious mental illnesses without killing them would make our communities a lot safer.
And many police forces and unions are so practiced at avoiding any kind of actual accountability that it is certainly understandable that communities who are targeted by police rather than protected by them want the whole institution abolished and replaced by something that will make them actually feel safer.