Protestors shut down Ohio ICE facility, demanding abolition of federal agency

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Independent


Demonstrations against Donald Trump's hard-line immigration policies have continued erupting nationwide

Chris Riotta New York
@chrisriotta
53 minutes ago

At least 12 demonstrators have been arrested after shutting down operations at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Columbus, Ohio.

Protestors obstructed the ICE offices in response to the federal agency conducting a series of raids across the state in recent weeks. Earth First!, the environmental group which organised the demonstration along with the American Indian Movement of Ohio, described US immigration policies as a “miscarriage of justice” in a statement to The Independent.

"This family separation crisis, along with refusing asylum to victims of violence and US economic policy, on top of the hundreds of thousands of deported people from the Obama, Trump, and previous administrations, amounts to a massive humanitarian crisis and a miscarriage of justice," said Madeleine Ffitch, a member of Earth First!.

"These communities are suffering from the actions of the same international players that the eco-defence movement is working to shut down. We’re here to show a united front with those struggling for migration justice."

Read more: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/ice-detention-facility-immigration-migrants-where-shut-down-protest-raids-immigrant-centre-a8439376.html

[Jake Stern]

1. Just be sure not to say "Abolish ICE", that's very, very bad

[sandensea]

2. It should be mended, not ended

An agency with that much power (and potential for abuse) should come under a civilian review board - but good luck getting that through this Congress or White House.

[riversedge]

3. I thank the brave protesters.

[tonekat]

4. Demanding the Abolition of ICE

Is a non-starter. Most American voters are not going to jump on that bandwagon.

We need to win the mid-terms, less inflammatory language like demanding an accounting of what the heck ICE is doing would not give the conservatives another hammer to hit Dems with. Otherwise, we'll hear "See! They want open borders!" Good luck getting John Q. Public to go along with that.