Trump celebrates ‘heroes’ of ICE ahead of midterms
Former acting ICE director says move is ‘designed to be political’
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Monday offered robust praise of federal immigration officers, touting them as “heroes” at a White House event aimed at drawing a sharp contrast with Democrats over the enforcement of border control laws.
In a speech at the “Salute to the Heroes,” Trump called the estimated 150 officers and agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection “great patriots” who have sought to protect the nation against crimes by undocumented immigrants.
The president also denounced Democrats who have called for the abolition of ICE over concerns that the agency has acted recklessly and cruelly in its efforts to round up and deport those living here illegally.
“For you having to be demeaned by people who have no idea what strength is, is really very sad,” Trump said. “They have no courage; they have no guts. They just have big, loud mouths. We don’t want to put up with that. I just want you to know you are loved and respected.”
The event was the latest sign that the president is eager to elevate ICE as a campaign issue ahead of the midterm elections. Trump has sought to use calls from a small number of high-profile Democrats to abolish the agency to paint his political rivals as weak on enforcement, which the White House believes will be a potent political message in the fall.
Trump has also blamed Democrats for opposing funding for his border wall, as well as proposals to enact deep cuts in legal immigration levels.
“Obviously, the president views immigration as a wedge issue that plays to his advantage,” said John Sandweg, who served as acting ICE director in the Obama administration.
Sandweg acknowledged that Trump’s event could help boost spirits at ICE, which traditionally has reported low morale among rank-and-file agents. But he cautioned that thrusting an agency with 20,000 employees into the political spotlight could make it harder for ICE to be effective, noting that a growing number of cities have limited cooperation with federal immigration operations.
“There are lots of folks at ICE and CBP that deserve praise, but this is all designed to be political,” Sandweg said. “In the long run, it hurts because it further politicizes the issue and the agency itself.”
Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, and the attorney general of Alabama, Steve Marshall, were among state and local officials who participated in a panel discussion ahead of Trump’s remarks at the White House event.
“I just think it’s unconscionable, frankly, I think it’s downright unpatriotic and treasonous,” Perdue said, when asked about the calls from some Democrats to abolish ICE.
ICE, and to a lesser extent CBP, have been the targets of fierce criticism for years from immigrant rights groups, accused of acting, in some cases, unlawfully to round up and deport undocumented immigrants.
The complaints have intensified under the Trump administration after the president signed an executive action in his first week to broaden the scope of ICE’s enforcement efforts, after President Barack Obama had focused operations on criminals and terrorists. Arrests of immigrants without criminal records has spiked under Trump, although deportations are still lagging behind the peak rates of Obama’s tenure.