The Trump White House wants a 1/8th increase in money for the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency…..
Democrats are balking at this, with some even pushing that agency be reorganized , or even abolished…
This issue could prove pivotal for Democrats with the midterm elections coming unless than four months…
Democrats ARE going to agreeable to moving more money to the agencies and efforts to handle people and children detained by the government while waiting to be processed, including methods to keep track of people released waiting for their day before a judge to asses their cases…
The administration is pressing Congress for $8.3 billion in discretionary funding for ICE in fiscal 2019 — a $967 million increase over this year’s budget. Democrats are already balking at the figure out of early concern that Republicans will designate the money for bolstering enforcement efforts, including an acceleration of deportations.
The Democratic resistance is significant because the Republicans will need support from the other side of the aisle to approve any new spending bills, as the GOP remains divided over fiscal issues.
“These allocations continue to prioritize President Trump‘s cruel immigration policies,” Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.), the ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, warned last month.
The debate over ICE enforcement, a controversial issue even under former President Obama, has only intensified under Trump, who made a get-tough approach on immigration central to his campaign message in 2016.
The subsequent backlash has arrived in the form of Democratic calls to abolish ICE, a once-fringe movement that’s gained steam in recent weeks following the shocking primary defeat of Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.) to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a 28-year-old activist who made the elimination of ICE — and the reallocation of its duties — a central component of her campaign. ….
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[Dem , Tex Rep. ]Cuellar said he’s advocating for the use of ankle bracelets both as a way to keep immigrants out of detention and as a fiscally sound measure.
This could be huge trap for Democrats, especially Democratic candidates, forcing them to take a stand on ground that favours Trump, the Republicans and the immigration-exclusionists.
All too easy to see the dark, foreboding commercials linking the Democratic candidate in a given race with the “Abolish ICE” movement in general and asserting that only the Republican will protect your family from terrorists, rapists, drug cartels, ISIS and MS-13.
Much better to be taking the already-popular side on family separations.
Each Democrat running for office around the country is gonna to have to
Figure out their voting pool and act accacordingly…
ICE plays different in different places…
Crowley lost his job because he thought of things in terms of the ‘Beltway’
THAT is NOT what is important
ALL POLITCS IS LOCAL
That is how it’s supposted to work