219 Comments
User's avatar
Jason's avatar

Abolish ICE and dismantle the DHS. The creation of this mammoth agency was a bad idea from the start.

Jason's avatar

"ICE is beyond reform,” Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) said during a news conference Wednesday. “ICE is totally out of control.”

ICE is rotten to the core. There is no fixing a private army packed with white supremacists.

David Skoglund's avatar

When I say reform, that can mean abolish it. Something will have to replace it though, because there needs to be some sort of immigration enforcement. Just don’t call it ICE.

M McConlogue's avatar

We either have to convince Republicans of this or out number them enough to establish strong border and immigration policies. We need workers. They need jobs. Should be able to work something out. The fact is the GOP loves immigration chaos because it is their go-to boggy man to rile the Base (now that the infamous Red Scare is over)

Merlin Dorfman's avatar

At least twice, bipartisan immigration reform legislation was agreed on. The first time, it passed the Senate about 80-20 but the Speaker of the House (can't remember who it was) refused to bring it up. The second time (2024), candidate Trump demanded the Senate vote it down, because he didn't want the problem solved--he wanted an issue to run on, and Republican Senators caved.

David Skoglund's avatar

DHS was established as a reaction to 9-11. Also the “Patriot Act”. Time to put all of that back on the table and reform it.

Jim Reddick's avatar

The national fever 9/11 caused made a mockery of the rights of American citizens. Repeal of the Patriot Act in whole is in order. DHS was always a bad and wasteful idea. The creation of a new government department resulted in massive bureaucracy (what happened to the Republican idea of small government?) that throws money at problems that have better solutions obviously available. 'W' was a disaster that continues to cripple us even now.

David Skoglund's avatar

W gets a pass because of Trump’s awfulness. W was a miserable president.

Robert E.'s avatar

The Decider was an immense failure.

M McConlogue's avatar

We'll never be able to undo all the harm of Bush2 but we could abolish his DHS and ICE.

Robot Bender's avatar

When I heard Dubya say "Homeland Security," the hair on my neck stood up. I knew, as did anyone who had studied history, where things were going.

Carol Bradford's avatar

Me too. "The Homeland." Ugh.

Steve 218's avatar

Yes! The militarization and morphing of the INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service) into ICE should not have been legal, and it was only the twisted and uncontrolled minds in the DHS and the president that came up with this abusive force. Congress, mind the will of the people and put an end to this.

Swbv's avatar

I think the GOP, deep down, wanted to ensure that there was a Gestapo equivalent to keep the peace when, in the minority, they pursued their maximalist anti-democratic agenda.

Jason's avatar

Agreed, except I don't think that desire was, or is, all that 'deep down'.

David Skoglund's avatar

Yes. Very close to the surface. They will soon be emulating Elon with NAZI salutes.

M McConlogue's avatar

Yes. I'm pretty old and it was always so. John Foster and Alan Dulles just for starters. We are still trapped in their messes.

rpasea's avatar

Gestapo and a gulag in the form of ICE for-profit detention facilities.

Jason's avatar

Another take from Salon's always on-point Amanda Marcotte: "How Kristi Noem turned ICE into the Proud Boys"

https://www.salon.com/2026/01/16/how-kristi-noem-turned-ice-into-the-proud-boys/

Richard S's avatar

ICE, a domestic paramilitary force of lawless, masked thugs, now has a budget larger than the budget of the United States Marine Corps.

Inconceivable and unbelievable. But here we are.

Larry Margolis's avatar

That is exactly how I felt since DHS was created. Reminded me of Nazi Germany and the Motherland.

Jason's avatar

Side note - after posting this I quickly got several new 'followers' - a few that look genuine (humans with some actual activity) , but a few that are definitely spambots, or maybe something worse? Accounts with no likes, no reads, nothing but a generic profile photo and maybe one equally generic post.

Two of them sent me nearly identical PMs. This has happened to me a couple times recently too. I never saw profiles like this in my earlier days on Substack..

Sheri Drisac's avatar

Be wary, Jason! No doubt trump/magas have goons & thugs trolling everywhere these days.

About a year ago, not long after I subscribed to The Contrarian, I posted a comment after one of Jen's articles and I received a very strange, slightly scary reply. As a result I changed my "nom de plume".

RRiveter's avatar

Me too. Most of the comments are fine and supportive, but there are a few who are obviously troublemakers, threateners, and trolls. Protect yourselves. Lots of assholes out there. If you get one responding to you, block them immediately, and yes, change your label name.

David Skoglund's avatar

Jason, I’ve been getting these followers as well. Some with photos of young pretty women.

Jason's avatar

Yea, all the ones I’m getting are “women” / I guess it’s only a matter of time that spambots would invade Substack. I’m

Blocking them all. I just wonder if it’s something more insidious ( like specifically targeting people expressing certain opinions?)

RRiveter's avatar

I get the "followers" too, and I hit the delete button immediately. I will continue to say what I want, when I want on these sites. Just continue to block them and use cryptic names for yourself.

Hiro's avatar

The issue is rather complex. First of all, undocumented immigrants are in this country illegally and must be dealt with by applying laws. The question is how to apply laws.

Jason's avatar

There is nothing complex about ICE's reign of terror.

David Skoglund's avatar

Hiro, can you provide some context to the complexity you are describing? Help us understand what you are talking about. Thanks

Hiro's avatar

David, thank you for asking. Please feel free to educate me further, but I am talking about dealing with undocumented immigrants. They are clearly breaking laws. The problem is they are also contributing to the community they live and their neighbors want to protect them. There I see the fundamental conflict between the law and the love of the community that must be dealt with in a way acceptable to both sides. Make sense to you?

RRiveter's avatar

Their "breaking of the law", i.e. not being documented, is a simple misdemeanor at best. No reason for lock up, beatings, deportation, especially if they have lived here for 30 years, have families, no criminal records, are employed, and are a contributor to the community. Compare their "terrible" crimes to that of the current regime: no comparison whatsoever. The conflict is that the regime is horribly corrupt, and the immigration laws are unintelligible and very difficult to follow, as well as to comply with. Radical law change needs to occur, but I guess it's easier to beat the crap out of people and terrorize them than it is to actually sit down, think like an adult, and try to improve situations.

Hiro's avatar

I agree with you 100% on the current ICE handling of those undocumented. The government agent must show respect to anyone.

RRiveter's avatar

Have you had the opportunity to read immigration laws? Cryptic at best, and impossible to follow for anyone, let alone those who do not understand English well. Instead of chasing them down like animals in a stockyard, how about attempting to change the laws to allow people to easily apply for citizenship, as long as they meet simple rules: no criminal record, have a job, have community contacts, etc etc. It really isn't that difficult, but we make it so. The current laws are absolutely ridiculous.

Hiro's avatar

Hi RRiveter, I would like to see those undocumented who have proven to be a good member of a community receive a legal status to be stay. But one has to pay for breaking a law. How about a permanent green card but no chance of becoming a citizen.

RRiveter's avatar

Sorry, but simply cannot agree. Being undocumented in a country, for whatever reason, is simply not a huge issue to me, unless they are truly breaking the law: hurting someone, stealing something, damaging something, rape, murder, etc. Committing a simple misdemeanor because you didn't jump through the extremely convoluted hoops to attain citizenship just doesn't seem to be a huge issue, unless they are here committing serious crimes, don't have a job, etc etc.

Hiro's avatar

I am not familiar with the detail of the law about entering the country illegally. So I cannot make any further learned comment on this issue. Regardless, I am against the ICE cruelty in dealing with people regardless of their citizenship status.

RRiveter's avatar

Right there with you about ICE's unhinged cruelty. Compares only to the Fascist jackboots of other nations in other times. Immigration laws are freely outlined and explained on Google, and the penalties of being undocumented.

Pam Birkenfeld's avatar

Release the Epstein files! Be sure to include that on your signs when you go to a gathering of protest.

Karen Gardner's avatar

Exactly. They are using this -- they initiated this -- as a distraction from Epstein file release violations, and so much other corruption. Venezuela oil $$ in Qatar rather than U.S., for example. The ridiculous notion to take over Greenland. But primarily, EPSTEIN, EPSTEIN, EPSTEIN. (Someone suggested Greenland be renamed Epstein Island; worth consideration.)

Stuart de Vroome's avatar

We have to keep this on the front page! Here's the link to the case of Donald J. Trump and Jeffrey E. Epstein filed by a Jane Doe for rape and other sexual crimes in NY:

https://cdn.factcheck.org/UploadedFiles/Johnson_TrumpEpstein_Lawsuit.pdf

Apparently the case was withdrawn when she intimidated by the defendants' threats against her.

Daniel Solomon's avatar

Apparently, NYU, Harvard are now implicated!

patricia's avatar

dersshowitz is a known participant

Carolyn Kraut's avatar

Lawrence Summers and his wife as well.

Pam Birkenfeld's avatar

Re Summers, he’s already been excommunicated from Harvard. And Dershowitz as a lawyer hasn’t had any respect around Massachusetts for quite a while. He’s an opportunist. I’m a lawyer so don’t say all lawyers are opportunists, or I’ll be mad!

It's Come To This's avatar

Jacob Frey did far more than simply "acknowledge some in the crowd had broken the law." He told Minneapolis point-blank: "Do Not Take the Bait." Adding, 'you are helping nothing and no one' save perhaps for Kristi Noem and Stephen Miller who salivate at the possibility that a snow shovel might serve as an excuse for invoking the Insurrection Act against an entire country.

It is one thing to be the Governor of Minnesota, and the former vice-presidential candidate. It is quite another to be the lone Mayor of Minneapolis, in effect warning other mayors: "you're next." His unambiguous "ICE: get the fuck out of Minneapolis" spoke volumes. No one else said what needed to be said -- in the way it needed to be said.

Today, my hat is off to Mayor Frey and to tens of thousands of peaceful demonstrators who did not take the bait.

Purobi Phillips's avatar

Go to Contact Mayor Frey and write a thank you note to this lone Mayor with courage of an army. I just did. You do not need to be a MN resident.

Jeff's avatar

I'm a Minnesotan and it didn't help that some people ransacked FBI vehicles and took guns. I support the protestors but we are not all "good people" unfortunately. I think Trump will use the Insurrection Act no matter what and try it out for size. It will only take about five snowballs.

Don Kennedy's avatar

He needs there to be an excuse in order to give the Republicans in Congress cover when he invokes the act. If he just invokes it out of the blue just to try it out for size for example, Congress critters have no cover and they will not like being put in that position by Trump. Angry representatives and senators can impeach and convict; Trump does need to be careful how he does this.

M McConlogue's avatar

MLK was just such a leader.

John Ryan(PA)'s avatar

From the suburbs of Philly. We passed a resolution to not cooperate with ICE operatives. It was overwhelmingly supported and our commissioners made a point of stating their opinions about the fact that ICE is a dangerous entity and was promoting the violence we are watching nationwide and especially in Minnesota.

nmgirl's avatar

New Mexico is contemplating a law to ban ICE from the state completely. Session starts on January 20.

patricia's avatar

ICE beware...Philly people are not as nice as Minn people !!

David Doyle's avatar

Minnesota people are stereotyped as being "nice", but remember they deal with harsh winters, below freezing wind chills, piles of snow and able to dig a car out of the snowbank. They have to be hardy, determined people to live where they do. I hope Minnesotan people prove that it takes guts to live in the "fly-over" country.

Don Kennedy's avatar

Unfortunately, they will need to be if they don’t want to have the military in their streets. That’s the whole point of ICE being so violent and provocative after all.

Trump and Miller do not care at all for the safety of the ICE people; from their point of view, an excellent event would be a seriously insured or dead ICE agent. A martyr for the cause, and the perfect excuse for the insurrection act.

They are just waiting for such an event. Just waiting…

John Ryan(PA)'s avatar

Don, I definitely understand that provocation is the goal. Somehow, though, there's something about the birthplace of Liberty!

patricia's avatar

Independence Hall has a definite precence

patricia's avatar

anybody ever been to South Philly, North Philly ??

patricia's avatar

I think it goes West Philly and then North East Philly

RRiveter's avatar

No shit! I wouldn't want to be in a Philly mob!

patricia's avatar

ICE wouldn't pull that shit in Philly. Not more than once anyway !

RRiveter's avatar

Yep, don't see that happening in Philly, or Detroit (where I'm from) or in Newark, for that matter. Several reasons why DT chose Portland and Minneapolis: protests after George Floyd, Walz in MN who is acting like a scared little boy, strong Dems, and at least I think, the concept that these cities are peopled with pushovers, easily intimidated. There is a reason, a strong one, why he's not ordering the invaders into the above cities I mentioned. There would be serious blood in the streets of Philly, Detroit and Newark, no doubt. People are locked and loaded in those areas, lots of gang activity, and all of those cities are peopled with folks who simply do not fuck around. Case closed. There is a reason why the Ford employee from Detroit shouted "pedo" at Trump, and as he said, he would do it again. He knew Ford would suspend him, and he did not give one shit, and he also knew that Trump would respond in an extremely inappropriate way, which of course, he did. Don't think for one hot minute that 50 of his coworkers thought the same words, but simply did not say them. The UAW, although chastising him, is supporting him as well. Detroit: strong union ties. Trump cannot unglue that, no matter how much he claims "I have Detroit". My ass, he does. The guy got 800 thousand bucks on 2 Go Fund Me accounts, which he stopped due to the excessive amounts. Also, although CA/LA got a lot of shit with Marines, Natl Guard, etc, Newsom found his balls, told Trump "to come get me", which I think surprised DT, and sued the shit out of the Feds. Walz needs to listen and learn from tougher governors.

Daniel Solomon's avatar

Protest? That vigil should be held at the homes of the four (4) Republican House members from Minnesota. Prorest to their constituents, their donors, their families!

John's avatar

Thank you Jennifer for telling it like it is. They may technically be “Federal agents” but first and foremost they are nothing more than thugs and goons.

Elvi's avatar

Cruel and sadistic like their leader, the puppy killer.

Chris Dortch's avatar

I stand with the good people of Minnesota. The rational minded among us know these ICE atrocities were ginned up by the fool in the WH and his creepy, evil, bald-headed henchman. By refusing to take the bait, Minnesotans have taken the weapon of martial law out of the fool’s hands. Justice will prevail one day, maybe sooner than we all think. We the people are going to have to fight for it, though. But it will be worth it to see the fool and his goons do the perp walk for their many high crimes and misdemeanors. We must continue to pressure our elected officials, especially if, like me, you live in a ruby red state. They have to know we’re paying attention, and that we’re pissed. Several GOP members of Congress are already caving to our demands. Several more will check out, which could give Democrats the House back.

Brenda Hartman's avatar

I am here in the Twin Cities, Minnesota. It is crawling with ice and border patrol agents. We are banded together as a community. We love our immigrant neighbors and each other. We are bringing groceries to those who are too fearful to leave their homes. We are a very diverse community and enjoy that. We are not about to be bullied in to submission by someone who clearly is about greed and power. I am proud to be on the streets protecting those who cannot be out on the street.

Priscilla  Johnstone's avatar

Please know that Minnesota has support from all of us throughout the country who are resisting 47’s attempt to turn the US into an autocracy. ❤️ & 🙏s to all Minnesotans who are standing up for our rights as citizens. ❤️🇺🇸💙

Robert Manz's avatar

There’s no point in giving the SS better training. Abolish ICE.

Lynn Renee's avatar

Overwheming sign ups for Constitutional Observer training caused a second training to be scheduled. Minnesotans are neighbors helping neighbors-even those we don’t know.

Stillwater, MN

Sue's avatar

ICE Barbie was whining yesterday about people in Minneapolis spraying water on the streets to make ice, so as to hinder the ICE vehicles. So let's see, ICE has batons, zip-ties, guns (with which they have already perpetrated two shootings, one fatal). and flash-bang grenades (one of which they lobbed into a van with children, almost killing a 6 month old child). And the people of Minneapolis are defending themselves with -- water, and a cold climate? We are witnessing a government making war on a state of the union. This hasn't happened since 1861, and states haven't even seceded -- yet. But in the face of this sort of tyranny, they should.

Roberta Humphreys's avatar

Minnesota is expected to go into the deep freeze this weekend. More water on those streets please!

patricia's avatar

pretty smart of them to ice the streets !

Robot Bender's avatar

ICE vs. ice. 😆

Don Kennedy's avatar

Ha ha ha ha ha! I was just thinking of this kind of response yesterday, so I am very pleased to read it today. Nice move, Minnesota.

Sue's avatar

And Noem is sniveling that if one of those vans full of Proud Bois -- I mean, Federal law enforcement officers -- goes out of control and crashes, it could kill them? Cry me a river, Noem, it wasn't Minnesota that started this war.

Don Kennedy's avatar

(shrug) if ICE goes into Minnesota of all places without chains or what not on their tires they’re idiots and deserve what happens to them. There are other places that have ice on roads, not caused by people.

Wendy horgan's avatar

Hear hear!

Thank you Minnesotans.

BetsieD's avatar

Minnesota is and should be the state to emulate for the rest of the country who are facing the ICE insurgency. We shall not bow down to unlawful, agitated and abusive forces. I feel for what they and others are going through but this is happening all over and will get worse. But we as a nation must remain strong because we (and the strong leaders not bowing down) are all we have.

Thomas Boardman's avatar

Thank you so much for your ability to explain to the world what is happening in America. What we are going through today reminds me of what we went through in the 60's and 70's. We were attacked by J. Edgar Hoover's FBI and the National Guard but we refused to give up and eventually we won, we moved our country forward toward democracy. Today we must stand stronger than we did in the 60's and 70's. This is not an easy fight, but it must be fought. We must continue for all of humanity to try to make the world a better place!

Tris Barber's avatar

Unprofessional? Criminal!

FVera's avatar

Give’ em hell Minnesota.