Breaking The ICE

One of the defining features of both Trump regimes, from day one, has been the profound racism, cruelty, and dehumanization of immigrants either too poor or too brown to be recognized as human by Trump. It is with immigration that Trump has most frequently sought to consolidate his executive power and quell dissent. During the first administration, Trump and his MAGA followers focused on building the wall to keep out those they felt, from ignorance and bigotry, shouldn’t be allowed into America. Those still desperate enough to come across the southern border were forcibly separated and imprisoned, tearing apart husband and wives, parents and children. It was these very “detention centers” caging thousands of children that spurred the creation of DSOT back in 2018.

This time around, the Trump regime has putrefied even further, turning it’s gaze to undocumented immigrants currently living in the country. On the premise of fighting a violent invasion of south American gang members and violent criminals, Trump, Steven Miller, et. al. have embarked on a campaign of violence and intimidation across the country. This wave of unlawful violence has not produced the promised violent criminals, but has instead revealed case after case of innocent people ruthlessly taken and imprisoned by Trump’s gestapo. Ignoring civil and constitutional rights, separation of powers and many laws, masked ICE thugs have been snatching individuals from courtrooms, from their homes, and off the streets and whisked away to who knows where: other states? Other countries?

Unsurprisingly, the American people aren’t taking this invasion by brownshirts lying down. Confrontations between communities and law enforcement have become larger and more frequent. Courts have issued injunctions and restraining orders against some of the more flagrant violations of rights. This rising tide of public pressure has resulted in the recent return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia from his illegal rendition to El Salvador in a major blow to the administrations position of total impunity.

Despite, or perhaps because of, these recent setbacks, Steven Miller et. al have increased ICE raids. The most recent flashpoint came this past weekend when a mass arrest of immigrants near a Home Depot in LA led to large-scale protests and civilian confrontations with the police. Using the protests as an excuse, Trump has now further escalated his power grab by federalizing the CA national guard and deploying hundreds of troops to LA against the wishes of Governor Newsom, declaring the protesters to be “in rebellion”. This is the first time that has happened since 1965, when LBJ sent in the national guard to enforce desegregation. Trump has promised to go further, deploying troops wherever he sees fit to keep “law and order.” The intimidation couldn’t be clearer.

From the beginning of this administration, Trump has made it clear he wants to crush his opposition by invoking the insurrection act and deploying troops against US citizens. While he’s stopped short at this point, every step inches us closer to some kind of declared martial law. In this crucial moment we must rise together. The administration has been pushed back briefly by the surge of community support for the targets of ICE raids and has unsurprisingly responded with greater force. We cannot back down now, and we must resist the spiral of escalatory violence. If we fold, or if Trump successfully cracks down with the military, this week will mark the beginning of an even darker chapter in America. Instead, we must join together in growing solidarity, to build the political and economic power to break the back of Trump and ICE, and make this country a place where all are protected under the law, no matter their citizenship or immigration status.

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