How Trump’s ICE may draw the wrong recruits

Now that the newly-signed One Big Beautiful Bill Act President Donald Trump s budget-busting bill has become law U S Immigration and Customs Enforcement will rapidly grow its agent ranks Its masked militia has traumatized peaceful communities with particular terror aimed at the Latino population by presenting no badges or identification and by physically accosting and kidnapping both undocumented and legal U S residents without due process What kind of person will seek to join ICE ICE s evolving public-facing mission which is increasingly spreading fear in American society coupled with the expected increase in agents needed to carry out the Trump administration s agenda raises the question What kind of person will seek to join ICE Before the first Trump administration ICE agents were typically motivated by integrity courage resilience and a strong sense of duty and allegiance to the Constitution Idealism and a sense of purpose were essential to balancing the gravity of their mission and humility tempered the power dynamic inherent in law enforcement work Agents require complex skills and knowledge including cultural awareness and respect for civil liberties as well as the necessary skills and training to maintain civility and safety during their missions In contemporary times s missions and subsequent behavior of multiple ICE agents are a far cry from those of the past Trump has spent the last decade maligning immigrants in the United States often with fabricated stories to create fear within communities and foster xenophobic hatred among his supporters This paved the way for harsh and sometimes sadistic policies involving aggressive raids warrantless detentions family separations and imprisonment under conditions condemned by human rights groups Related ICE s billion windfall Trump s mass deportation force set to receive military-level funding The pressure from the Trump administration to meet detention quotas and to enter peaceful communities in full tactical gear has been well-described Bystanders have recorded videos of unidentifiable masked agents in unmarked vehicles whisking people away without confirming the identities of their targets or informing the prisoners families of where they will be detained These videos have entered the national conversation leading to increased populace scrutiny of ICE but altering the perception of this organization s values The attention given to ICE raids along with the empowerment bestowed upon the agency may influence and alter the type of candidate for our next generation of agents Instead of the ideals listed above people eager to assume authoritative roles and participate in policies that emphasize dominance and residents brutality may be attracted to the agency In contemporary times s ICE recruits may not be driven by a sense of noble duty or ethics but by the opportunity to exert power over vulnerable people deriving satisfaction from the suffering they cause Want more sharp takes on politics Sign up for our free newsletter Standing Room Only written by Amanda Marcotte now also a weekly show on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts The One Big Beautiful Bill Act significantly boosts funding for ICE to implement Trump s cruel anti-immigrant agenda Information allocated to ICE will exceed those of most of militaries indicating that strict immigration enforcement is prioritized over traditional national defense concerns A surge of new agents is inevitable if the agency is to be significantly expanded With the change in the type of recruit expected their loyalty is more likely to be rooted in Trump himself than in the principles of the Constitution New agents may not view themselves as ethical residents servants but rather as followers driven by anger and retribution which can aftermath in unchecked sadism The mindset and motivation of these kinds of ICE agents have created serious risks to human rights and constitutional values An agency increasing its ranks with people who demonstrate authoritarian and punitive traits poses a clear threat to civil liberties and the rule of law That menace grows when loyalty shifts from the Constitution to a charismatic authoritarian leader like Trump Historically this mirrors how oppressive measure forces such as Hitler s Gestapo rose to power starting with seemingly lawful agencies that gradually became corrupted by sadistic personalities and political loyalty We need your help to stay independent Subscribe nowadays to advocacy Salon s progressive journalism America stands on the brink of a new era of fascism and the evolution of ICE under Donald Trump may be part of the means used to spread fear and suppress dissent The tools of unrestricted cruelty toward immigrants legal or otherwise can be turned against lawful American citizens The president s statements about revoking the citizenship of political opponents he disagrees with show this is more than just speculation it s something he has considered as he continues to consolidate power and increase his authority Unless this trajectory is changed we jeopardy seeing ICE transformed from a law enforcement agency into a force that resembles a private militia or secret police loyal to Trump above all else Read more about this topic The IRS is building a vast system to share millions of taxpayers figures with ICE Cried every night ICE detains child with leukemia As a Moonie Trump s cult tactics are eerily familiar The post How Trump s ICE may draw the wrong recruits appeared first on Salon com