"Congress Must Find the Moral Courage to Confront ICE's Brutal Tactics"
In a chilling display of brutality, Border Patrol officers killed 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti while she was helping a fellow protester in Minneapolis. The incident has sparked widespread outrage and condemnation from Democrats, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who has added her voice to the growing chorus calling for an end to ICE's mass deportations policy.
Clinton's essay highlights the gross hypocrisy of the Christian right and its role in the MAGA movement, comparing Pretti to the Good Samaritan. She argues that Jesus teaches us to love our neighbors as ourselves and help those in need, a message that is at odds with Trump's America. The former secretary of state concludes her essay by calling on Democrats to reject cruelty and corruption.
The moral stand taken by former presidents Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Bill Clinton, and Michelle Obama has made it clear that Congressional Democrats have a choice to make. Will they hold the moral high ground on immigration and use it to gain momentum against Trump and Republicans? Or will they retreat into compromise and bipartisanship, effectively surrendering to Republican hostage-taking?
At least for now, Democrats in Congress appear to be finding their spine. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries have used the threat of a government shutdown as leverage to rein in Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Trump's larger machine of mass deportation.
On Thursday night, Senate Democrats agreed to a two-week extension of funding for the Department of Homeland Security, the agency that houses ICE and Border Patrol. But with the House looking set for a Tuesday vote on the measure, the outcome is far from assured.
Schumer's strategy is to use this window of time to force Republicans to agree to modest, common sense reforms that include adopting a universal code of conduct for all federal law enforcement agents and officers, banning masks, requiring DHS officers to wear body cameras, stopping the use of roving patrols, and expanding the requirements to obtain warrants.
House Democrats have staked out a far stronger position. They propose banning ICE from operating anywhere in the United States and barring the federal detention and deportation of American citizens.
The moral high ground on immigration is not just a matter of politics; it's a matter of principle. The Trump administration's mass deportation campaign has produced a trail of human misery and suffering, including a harrowing account by Minneapolis resident Patty O'Keefe, who was detained by ICE and released eight hours later without charges.
O'Keefe's words are a stark reminder of the cruelty and corruption that Democrats must confront head-on. A new CNN/SSRS poll showing that only 28% of registered Democrats approve of the party's leadership highlights the need for bold action.
If congressional Democrats do not take up the moral crusade of stopping ICE thuggery as part of a larger defense of American democracy, they will have more than earned the ire of the American people and their own base. They are already in danger of doing so, having walked right into Trump's trap, according to Jonathan Freedland.
Democratic leaders must decide whether they are going to be narrowly focused, single-minded seekers of reelection or if they will instead use their power to advance the moral good in defense of the country's democratic life. The choice is clear: will they stand up for what is right or will they retreat into complacency?
In a chilling display of brutality, Border Patrol officers killed 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti while she was helping a fellow protester in Minneapolis. The incident has sparked widespread outrage and condemnation from Democrats, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who has added her voice to the growing chorus calling for an end to ICE's mass deportations policy.
Clinton's essay highlights the gross hypocrisy of the Christian right and its role in the MAGA movement, comparing Pretti to the Good Samaritan. She argues that Jesus teaches us to love our neighbors as ourselves and help those in need, a message that is at odds with Trump's America. The former secretary of state concludes her essay by calling on Democrats to reject cruelty and corruption.
The moral stand taken by former presidents Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Bill Clinton, and Michelle Obama has made it clear that Congressional Democrats have a choice to make. Will they hold the moral high ground on immigration and use it to gain momentum against Trump and Republicans? Or will they retreat into compromise and bipartisanship, effectively surrendering to Republican hostage-taking?
At least for now, Democrats in Congress appear to be finding their spine. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries have used the threat of a government shutdown as leverage to rein in Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Trump's larger machine of mass deportation.
On Thursday night, Senate Democrats agreed to a two-week extension of funding for the Department of Homeland Security, the agency that houses ICE and Border Patrol. But with the House looking set for a Tuesday vote on the measure, the outcome is far from assured.
Schumer's strategy is to use this window of time to force Republicans to agree to modest, common sense reforms that include adopting a universal code of conduct for all federal law enforcement agents and officers, banning masks, requiring DHS officers to wear body cameras, stopping the use of roving patrols, and expanding the requirements to obtain warrants.
House Democrats have staked out a far stronger position. They propose banning ICE from operating anywhere in the United States and barring the federal detention and deportation of American citizens.
The moral high ground on immigration is not just a matter of politics; it's a matter of principle. The Trump administration's mass deportation campaign has produced a trail of human misery and suffering, including a harrowing account by Minneapolis resident Patty O'Keefe, who was detained by ICE and released eight hours later without charges.
O'Keefe's words are a stark reminder of the cruelty and corruption that Democrats must confront head-on. A new CNN/SSRS poll showing that only 28% of registered Democrats approve of the party's leadership highlights the need for bold action.
If congressional Democrats do not take up the moral crusade of stopping ICE thuggery as part of a larger defense of American democracy, they will have more than earned the ire of the American people and their own base. They are already in danger of doing so, having walked right into Trump's trap, according to Jonathan Freedland.
Democratic leaders must decide whether they are going to be narrowly focused, single-minded seekers of reelection or if they will instead use their power to advance the moral good in defense of the country's democratic life. The choice is clear: will they stand up for what is right or will they retreat into complacency?
it's about time congress gets its act together on this whole ice situation... i mean, 37 years old nurse gets killed by border patrol and people are still debating the morality of mass deportations? 
let's not forget that immigration is a human rights issue, not just a political one. 
if democrats want to win back voters and rebuild their base, they need to take a strong stance against ice's brutal tactics and advocate for humane policies instead of playing it safe with "common sense reforms". 
we're not talking about being soft on crime here, we're talking about standing up for the most vulnerable members of our society. 
It's not like ICE is the only agency with its problems - how many times have we seen police brutality and questionable arrest practices in this country? But no, now it's suddenly become a moral issue. I'm not saying Democrats are right or wrong on this one, but can't we just focus on finding solutions that benefit everyone? 
The fact that Schumer is trying to use the threat of a government shutdown as leverage is pretty underhanded if you ask me... 
37 yrs old nurse just trying to help someone gets killed by border patrol... no way to even process this and then you got politicians like hillary clinton and obama calling out ICE for their brutal tactics... it's about time they do something about it! 
but at the same time, Dems need to be realistic about whats possible. maybe theres a middle ground where they can still pass some reforms without alienating everyone? idk, i think its gonna take some serious compromise from both sides 
. it's not like trump is just gonna stop deporting ppl all on his own 
. i mean, who needs universal code of conduct and body cameras when u can just vote out the bad reps? 
... I mean, what's the deal with mass deportations? Can't they see it's causing more problems than it solves? And now this Alex Pretti thingy... 37 and dead because she was trying to help someone else. What's next? Will they start rounding up people for doing good deeds? 
. According to Google Trends, the term 'ICE' has increased by 300% over the past week alone 
. Meanwhile, the number of tweets using #JusticeForAlex is over 50k, with many calling for Congressional action 
.
. This is up from an average of 2 per year over the past decade. It's clear that something needs to change 
.
. Meanwhile, a CNN poll found that 62% of Americans believe that ICE is operating in an 'illegitimate' manner 
. If Congressional Democrats don't act soon, it could lead to widespread disillusionment among their base 
. Chuck Schumer's plan to force Republicans to agree to reforms is a good start, but I think he's being too soft on the whole universal code of conduct thing 
. And what's with all the drama over ICE and Border Patrol? They're just doing their job, trying to keep the country safe 
. I think Democrats are being too quick to condemn them without giving them a chance to change 
she was just trying to help someone and ended up getting killed by Border Patrol officers 
it's soooo messed up. I'm like totally with Hillary on this one - ICE needs to be held accountable for their brutal tactics 
and Democrats need to stand up against Trump's America 
. Schumer's strategy is fire 
but House Dems need to step it up too 
banning ICE from operating anywhere in the US is the bare minimum they should be fighting for 
. Can't believe CNN poll shows only 28% of registered Democrats approve of their leadership 
time for a change, imo 
.
. As a nurse myself, I know firsthand how hard it is to see people like Alex Pretti who just want to help others being treated so cruelly by our own government. It's time for Congress to find the moral courage to take on Trump and his minions 
. They need to stop making deals that put the interests of their party over the well-being of American citizens. We deserve better