Many Americans have long suggested that ICE agents are detaining people broadly to meet enforcement quotas, and recent videos from controversial federal immigration operations — including the fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis — have added fuel to those concerns. In a clip recorded during a recent operation in Maine, an ICE agent was caught on camera explaining how the organization targets legal visa holders on purpose.
By watching the video, it’s possible to see a Black woman being detained by ICE while her brother tries to explain that she was legally in the country and had a work permit. The agent does not seem to care, however, clearly admitting that ICE is targeting individuals who have valid work permits and visas, even if they committed no crimes. He claims that the goal is to take these people into custody to speed up any pending immigration process in court, so it can be decided whether they should stay or be deported.
The agent even defends his actions, saying that “outside of custody, those court cases take a very long time,” but by “rushing” the process, they can “keep the ones we want” and “get rid” of the others. The detained woman’s brother tries to explain that she is a mother with children who need her, but ICE responds by saying that she can post bail if she is truly legal and could return to live with her family soon.
People Online are Angry with ICE’s Actions in Maine
Unsurprisingly, the video outraged many viewers, who saw it as a blatant disregard for fair procedures, which makes any immigrant feel at risk in America. What angered most commenters was that ICE was targeting exactly the people who follow the proper procedures. These people become “easy” targets because they are already in the system and following the rules, so it’s simpler to just raid their homes and take them than to look for actually undocumented immigrants, which would likely make the agents spend more time and resources.
One person was horrified that it seems like “they’re just picking up random people on the street, even people on visas can be arrested again.” Others seemed somewhat puzzled by the agent’s actions, stating that it looks like “he’s genuinely trying to be helpful, but can’t recognize a crime against humanity and all the terror and suffering that he causes.”
Due to this widespread disregard for proper procedures, people in Maine are resisting ICE, as are the residents of many other States, and protests against the agency are getting increasingly common in recent weeks.
