AOC renews call to abolish ICE in fundraising email amid Trump’s border crackdown

Republicans are once again taking aim at progressive New York Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for her renewed call to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In a recent fundraising email obtained by Fox News Digital, Ocasio-Cortez stated, “I believe that ICE, an agency that was just formed in 2003 during the Patriot Act era, is a rogue agency that should not exist.”

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), the campaign arm for House Republicans, criticized Ocasio-Cortez for fundraising on the platform of abolishing ICE, a stance that goes against President Donald Trump’s tough stance on illegal immigration. NRCC Spokesman Mike Marinella condemned Ocasio-Cortez, stating, “House Democrat Minority Leader AOC is doubling down on their party’s most extreme, unhinged agenda, while the rest of her party is bending their knee to the radical wing.”

Ocasio-Cortez has been a vocal advocate for abolishing ICE since her congressional campaign in 2018 when she unseated longtime Democrat incumbent Rep. Joe Crowley. She has consistently championed progressive policies such as Medicare for All, the Green New Deal, and democratic socialism. Ocasio-Cortez’s fundraising email highlighted the fact that she is considered “extreme” for her beliefs in these policies, as well as her call to abolish ICE.

Critics of Ocasio-Cortez, including DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin and White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson, argue that demonizing ICE officers only puts them at risk and impedes their ability to protect American citizens from dangerous criminal illegal immigrants. They point out that ICE officers play a crucial role in apprehending individuals involved in serious crimes such as murder, kidnapping, and pedophilia.

The ongoing feud between Ocasio-Cortez and Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, has escalated as Ocasio-Cortez has instructed her constituents on how to impede ICE arrests. This has led to a potential Department of Justice probe into a webinar hosted by Ocasio-Cortez on handling ICE agents.

Despite the criticisms and pushback from Republicans, Ocasio-Cortez remains steadfast in her belief that ICE should be abolished. As the Trump administration continues its crackdown on illegal immigration, Ocasio-Cortez’s progressive stance on immigration policies sets her apart from more moderate Democrats within her party.

As the debate over immigration enforcement continues to divide lawmakers and politicians, Ocasio-Cortez’s unwavering stance on abolishing ICE remains a contentious issue. The future of immigration policy in the United States is likely to be shaped by the ongoing tensions between progressive advocates like Ocasio-Cortez and more conservative voices within the Republican Party.