In the midst of what is happening in today’s America, immigration and ICE are hot topics, especially when the midterm elections are approaching.

Many Americans can agree that this new influx of ICE agents, not just around the border but now patrolling inside America, is intimidating, especially for those who already have their papers in check, are still waiting for their green card to be approved, or are still waiting on a court date to even get started on their progress to becoming a U.S. citizen. No matter what their situation is, it is scary to know that these hardworking Americans can go to work one day and not make it back to say goodbye to their families before the unknown happens.

In Congress, Delia C. Ramirez and Yvette Clarke, earlier this January proposed the Melt ICE act. The Melt ICE Act would essentially cut funding from detaining or monitoring immigrants and would redirect funding to services that could benefit communities affected by immigration enforcement, like healthcare and housing.

As we already know, ICE got so much of its funding by cutting other services like health care, social services, specifically targeting Medicaid, Medicare, and SNAP. It is essential for Congress to vote on this bill to make such a change. I, and millions of American citizens, implore you, as representatives, to vote on this bill so it doesn’t die in committee.

Starting from the beginning, Immigration only became solidified as a matter of national security after the 9/11 attacks, officially becoming a form of law enforcement. Before ICE became a form of law enforcement, its main function was focused on economic concerns, labor management, and routine border administration rather than national security. While Immigration and Naturalization Services was under the Department of Justice, it focused on naturalization and working through asylum hearings; now that it is rebranded as Immigration and Customs Enforcement under the Department of Homeland Security, it focuses on meeting a quota of deportations per day.

In Law Enforcement Systems, success is tied to numbers. The Guardian has released an article proving this quota is 3000 arrests per day.

Jason Houser, a former ICE chief of staff during the Biden administration, gave his authoritative analysis.

“There is a constant state of anxiety; they understand they are playing Stephen Miller’s game. This isn’t about public safety or national security; this is about hitting a quota number. That’s it,” Houser said.

With such an unrealistic standard this doesn’t only lead to systemic pressure as arrests become smaller each day but leads to situations where ICE has ended up arresting immigrants with no criminal records or even US Citizens by racial profiling. Garrett Ripa, deportation officer proved that such a quota is an impractical expectation.

​“We just have so much work that there are not enough hours in the day, to be honest with you, just to get it done. I haven’t had a day off in several months already,” Ripa said.

With such an unrealistic standard, this not only leads to systemic pressure as arrests become smaller each day, but also leads to situations where ICE has ended up arresting immigrants with no criminal records or even US Citizens by racial profiling. Garrett Ripa, a deportation officer, proves that such a quota is an impractical expectation.

​Leading to the present, ICE has now had too many discrepancies to be considered a respectable government branch. A lot of the controversies around ICE are from deporting immigrants without due process, over 73% of detainees have no convictions as of Feb. 2026. 60% of detainees are subject to “mandatory detention” with no bond hearing.

​Numerous deaths are at the hands of ICE agents, among other violent acts against detainees, with 2025 being dubbed The Deadliest Year, with 32 people dead in ICE detention. Not recording ones that have occurred in communal areas. That’s the highest number of deaths in over two decades. While the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti are often debated because many view the outcome as an act of self-defense.

​Even citizens who follow what ICE tells them to do, and even with proof of citizenship, are disregarded. This is what happened to Leonardo Garcia Venegas: he provided proof of his documentation and then was dismissed by the agents who asked for it but this incident happened twice with Venegas at his place of work. Not only that, but he was faced with unprofessionalism, such as violence taking him to the ground and twisting his arm. Venegas said he now lives in fear, thinking this will happen again.

​“If they decide they want to detain you,” Venegas said, “You’re not going to get out of it.”

Now I am not listing every moment ICE has done wrong because not only are there many stories but I also encourage you to do your own research on these as well.

Although there are others that claim we shouldn’t defund ICE because America needs them, since there are many cities that don’t enforce the law. There are Democratic sanctuary cities that don’t allow their law enforcement to enforce immigration laws. Many cities have a catch-and-release policy, where law enforcement will capture immigrants and then release them.

If the catch and release policy did not exist, then people could be processed accordingly, and then there would be no one for ICE to be searching for in the cities throughout America. Although I do agree that the catch and release policy is inconsistent, it should also be replaced. The way ICE goes about enforcing its authority is no way needed unless you want to instill fear in these democratic cities.

To sum up my research, ICE doesn’t need funding if it’s only gonna put its efforts into meeting a quota, which leads to a faulty system of people who aren’t even immigrants or legal immigrants getting caught in the crossfire, as well as leading to violence against these people. The violent actions that have occurred have left people outraged, leading to protests all across the nation. Not just through organizations, teenagers have also led school walkouts that lead to protests in nearby communal areas.

This outrage knows no bounds; people of all ages, races, and genders are revolting against such an ineffective law agency. If ICE continued their business in a legal way where people would have due process and be met with professionalism, this wouldn’t be the vast disapproval of them. Since such a system is ineffective, not only would defunding ICE prevent future incidents from happening again, but it could also prevent societal panic within immigrant-citizen communities.