The Grand Illusion
Why do so many Republicans oppose requirements for ICE agents:
To wear body cameras?
To wear name badges?
To obtain a judicial warrant before forcing their way into homes, churches, and other private spaces?
To be prohibited from wearing masks?
To be held to the standards and accountability of other law enforcement agencies for use of force, especially lethal force?
Right now, ICE often operates more like Hitler’s brownshirts than like a legitimate law enforcement body, and yet Republicans oppose any reforms to ICE operating procedures, despite the killings of protesters and the blatant lying about those events.
Could it be that immigration reform is secondary to establishing the practice of punishing citizens for speaking out against heavy-handed government.
ICE isn’t the only area where the current administration is violating the Constitution and established law.
The Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) is the foundational, congressionally enacted legal system (10 U.S.C. Chapter 47) regulating the U.S. armed forces, and one of its provisions is that military personnel must not obey unlawful orders. A specific example of an unlawful order is one that suppresses lawful protest against suppression of First Amendment speech. Yet both President Trump and his Secretary of Defense/War have attempted to suppress the free speech of members of Congress, merely for pointing out this provision of the UCMJ. That’s certainly against the Constitution.
In addition, Trump has used the Department of Justice to attack political enemies, attempting to file lawsuits where even grand juries refuse to bring indictments. Federal attorneys (from both political parties) have literally resigned by the score in protest of such tactics, and at least one federal district attorney’s office had no attorney able or qualified to carry out such an indictment.
Trump has also flagrantly ignored the Foreign Emoluments Clause of the Constitution that bars officials from accepting foreign gifts or profits, although he’s paid lip service to it by funneling such gifts to façade foundations and family members (which at least one other President has done, not that such makes it legal, but never on the scale Trump has done).
So… why do a majority of Republican members of the House and Senate put up with such patent illegalities?
Is it because they believe that if the President (but only a Republican President) declares that something is legal, then it must be? Or are they simply afraid that their own President will attack them? Either way, what does all this say about the Republicans? (Not that the Democrats are exactly paragons of virtue).
LEM, it is simply unbridled tribalism – now devoid of empathy and shame.
As you said…
“In addition, Trump has used the Department of Justice to attack political enemies…” I will add that ICE is being used in the exact same way, to attack Trump / Republican enemies.
How to stop this? Well, as I’ve suggested multiple times on this site, there has to be some sort of balance in all things and this goes to politics and the checks and balances there in. There has to be the implicit threat that these powerful tolls can and will be turned back against those people and parties that use them illicitly or immorally.
It is apparent that even overwhelming public opinion doesn’t often change policy (see for example some common sense gun law restrictions), so somehow the country’s governance needs to become a reflection of public opinion within the confines of the constitution, rule of law, scientific principles, and acceptable competency to enjoy the privilege of leadership. And those guideposts must be true for all.
“Could it be that immigration reform is secondary to establishing the practice of punishing citizens for speaking out against heavy-handed government.”
Ding-ding-ding
Plus what KTL said.
I’m pretty sure the Republican plan is never to allow any election that curtails their ability to do what they want. I mean, honestly, if the current maladministration is setting precedents, what’s to stop a future Democratic president from snatching the likes of Noem or Bondi off the street and whisking them to a foreign prison?
More egregiously, the Presidictator has stripped foes of the Secret Service protection they should have. Does he want the same to be done to him? Leaving him vulnerable to getting Maduro’d by the likes of Iran?
They’re going to find an excuse for martial law, or something similar. They only want to dish out the brownshirt stuff, never be subjected to it.