Thousands of protesters join ‘ICE OUT’ rallies across the US
Protesters across the U.S. participated in “ICE OUT” rallies to demand accountability for ICE officers and to defund or eliminate their funding.
Former President Barack Obama said in a Feb. 14 interview that the behavior of some federal employees under the Trump administration was similar to behavior seen under previous dictatorships.
President Obama said in an interview with podcast host Brian Tyler Cohen that “misconduct by federal employees is deeply concerning and dangerous.”
Obama added that Americans should be recognized for participating in “peaceful protests, actions that we have seen in authoritarian countries and dictatorships, but not in the United States.”
President Obama’s comments came after White House Border Secretary Tom Homan announced on February 12 that the Trump administration would reduce the surge of federal immigration agents it was sending to Minnesota. Two American citizens, Renee Nicole Good and Alex Preti, were killed by federal agents in the state, a case that sparked controversy and protests.
The former president characterized the actions of ICE agents in Minnesota in particular as “unprecedented.”
He said these operatives were deployed to cities without clear guidelines or training, and when they arrived they dragged people from their homes, used children to lure parents, and tear-gassed “crowds who were just standing there and not breaking any laws.”
White House officials have defended their immigration record as protests have erupted in major cities in recent months against ICE’s actions.
For example, Vice President J.D. Vance rejected claims that immigration officials ordered a 5-year-old to knock on his front door and then used him as bait to arrest the boy’s father.
“Is it okay to freeze a five-year-old to death?” Vance said. “If the argument is that people who violate the law cannot be arrested because they have children, then all parents have complete immunity from law enforcement.”
Negotiations continue this weekend between Congressional Democrats and the White House, with Democrats seeking new limits on federal immigration agents in exchange for Homeland Security funding.
