The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) does not keep cities safe. It terrorizes them. Their presence alone creates fear and mass panic, leading to destabilization in communities. The stated purpose of this organization was to, “promote homeland security and public safety through the criminal and civil enforcement of federal laws governing border control, customs, trade, and immigration.” Even if deportation is a part of the United States’ immigration policy, ICE’s constant focus on low threat, nonviolent targets showcases an incorrect set of priorities.
In the past couple months, ICE’s rampage has gotten more and more violent. In Minnesota, there’s a new headline almost daily about innocent civilians being harmed by ICE. Although the investigation is ongoing, videos depict that Renee Good was brutally murdered by an ICE agent on Jan. 7. The ICE agent shot Good as she was trying to drive away from an escalating situation. Following the aftermath of Good’s death, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and the federal government quickly and falsely characterized Good’s actions as violent and dangerous, stating that the ICE agent had acted out of self defense. Multiple videos and witness accounts report that Good was just trying to remove herself from the scenario and safely leave the scene. It is unreasonable to believe a narrative that officials are so quick to promote, especially as the investigation is not yet complete. President Donald Trump backed Homeland Security’s statement by taking to Truth Social. He wrote: “the woman driving the car was very disorderly, obstructing and resisting, who then violently, willfully, and viciously ran over the ICE Officer, who seems to have shot her in self defense.” He went on to state it was, “hard to believe” the ICE agent was alive. Trump’s statement was blatantly untrue, considering the ICE agent was unharmed and even continued to work after the incident. The number of homicides committed by ICE agents continues to increase, each appearing more like an execution, warning bystanders of what happens when you resist.
ICE’s repeated history of abusing power is sadly nothing new. Since the beginning of 2025, there have been 32 reported deaths in ICE’s custody, and it doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. As of Jan. 22, the House voted 220-207 in favor of the FY2026 DHS Funding Bill. If passed, this bill will add $400M to ICE’s detention budget, raising it from $3.4 to $3.8B. It would also add $370M to ICE’s enforcement budget bringing it to a total of $5.45B. This is continuing to add to the fire and worsen the racist agenda that ICE and the Trump administration have.
Even though the budget is potentially expanding, citizens still have their constitutional protections. Here are your rights if you encounter an ICE agent. Regardless of immigration status, all individuals in the United States have the right to remain silent. ICE agents cannot enter your home or search any of your belongings if they do not have a signed judicial search warrant. It is more important than ever to remain safe and know your rights.
Knowing your rights is very critical, but the fight does not stop there. Speaking out is incredibly necessary, considering ICE’s power depends on force and our silence. There are multiple ways to speak out against ICE, including contacting your senators. Contacting your senators is important because they vote on budgets and that can control how ICE operates. Quickly sending a message through the National Immigration Law Center is a way to turn the story from normalization to confrontation. Silence allows officials to control the narrative. With enough resistance, change can happen. Another way to contact your senators is through 5Calls.org. This website allows you to contact your officials on a wide range of topics, including the horrific ICE raids. Calling is a more productive way to contact officials because emails and physical mail can take a while to sort through.
Even though this is such a terrifying time, we need to maintain hope. Each time we speak out, resistance grows stronger. Silence screams acceptance, so keep on exercising your voice. Continue to spread love and compassion, and have a great week.