Longtime Democratic strategist James Carville has issued a stark warning to his party, advising against adopting the slogan "Abolish ICE" as protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continue to unfold in Minneapolis and other American cities.
A Controversial Comparison and a Blunt Warning
Carville made his remarks on the "Politics War Room" podcast he co-hosts with Al Hunt. He intervened after Hunt raised concerns about Democrats using the term "abolishing" instead of advocating for reform or making the agency function properly. Carville did not mince words, directly comparing the anti-ICE phrase to another controversial slogan.
"'Defund the Police' are the three stupidest words in the history of the English language," Carville stated, referencing the rallying cry from the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests. He added a sweeping critique, asserting that "The left is universally wrong about everything."
The Necessity of Control vs. a 'Horrible' Reality
Despite his harsh criticism of the slogan, Carville acknowledged a complex reality. He argued that Americans desire some form of immigration and customs enforcement, stating that such an agency is necessary. However, he also condemned recent actions by ICE, which he described as "horrible."
His comments come in the wake of a fatal incident in Minneapolis that has fueled public anger. Over a week ago, ICE agent Jonathan Ross shot and killed Minneapolis resident Renee Good in her vehicle. This event has triggered sustained and heated clashes between protesters and federal authorities in Minnesota's capital city.
The political response has been divided. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has publicly opposed the idea of abolishing ICE. Conversely, at least one House Democrat has used the phrase to push for legislation that would dissolve the agency, declaring ICE "totally out of control" and "beyond reform." Public opinion appears split, with a recent poll by The Economist/YouGov finding that 46% of respondents supported abolishing the agency.
Carville's Scathing Assessment of ICE Personnel
Delving deeper into the agency's problems, Carville offered a mixed but ultimately damning view of its workforce. He claimed that some ICE agents are "dedicated law enforcement professionals," but quickly added that he suspects this group represents a "smaller percent than you imagine."
He reserved his harshest criticism for others within the agency. "And a lot of them are just a pack of people that couldn't get a job anywhere else that figured they got a chance with not very much training to carry a badge and a gun and shoot people," Carville said. "That's the real danger."
Carville concluded by stressing the danger of not having a competent, expert workforce handling critical immigration and customs matters, even while condemning the agency's current state and the rhetoric calling for its outright abolition.
