Recently, I came across a video that’s making rounds across the U.S. In Minnesota, a federal immigration officer shot and killed a civilian at close range. The situation escalated quickly, though it shouldn’t have. Before the shooting, the man was lying on the ground, unarmed, and posed no threat. Officers discharged more than ten shots within just five seconds.
Having been in high-pressure situations like combat in Iraq, I know how tough it is to gauge threats posed by civilians. However, my training emphasized defusing such situations first, rather than charging in and firing. What happened in Minnesota? It felt like murder.
Officers who resort to violence have no place in law enforcement. It’s alarming that those meant to protect us are killing American citizens without just cause.
This wasn’t an isolated incident either. Just last month, ICE agents killed Renee Good, a mother of three, in Minneapolis. She was shot three times in the face at close range, an event that left many outraged across the nation. If this is how ICE behaves in front of cameras, it’s concerning to think about their actions when the cameras are off.
People shouldn’t live in fear of those sworn to protect them. ICE, as it currently operates, shouldn’t exist.
There’s an evident pattern here. When authorities treat whole communities as if they’re guilty from the start and see arrests as the measure of success, innocent lives are inevitably shattered.
This isn’t just about isolated incidents. Under Stephen Miller’s direction, agents have been known to stop anyone who appears Hispanic or speaks Spanish, regardless of their citizenship status. In Arizona, they detained a Navajo man merely based on his skin color. Families in Minnesota have even been detained by federal agents, forced from their homes in the dead of winter while dressed minimally. There are also reports of U.S. citizens being mistakenly held due to their accents.
President Trump, meanwhile, has claimed he wants to collaborate with local officials amid rising tensions over incidents like the shooting of an ICU nurse in Minneapolis. Yet, under his leadership, ICE appears more as an aggressive force rather than a protective agency, having shifted, it seems, from safeguarding Americans to creating further division.
Additionally, a recent Supreme Court ruling has essentially allowed ICE to engage in racial profiling during their operations.
Even worse, the current administration’s focus on hitting arbitrary quotas has put civilians at risk. Many federal agents, instead of combating violent crime or drug trafficking, are now diverted to arresting immigrants. Each day spent tracking down individuals means that real threats, like drug traffickers and criminals, have more opportunities to thrive.
The economic fallout is also significant. When workers are suddenly apprehended, local businesses suffer, projects stagnate, and costs surge. Families are afraid to drive to school or seek medical help, and entire communities bear the brunt of this fear. This isn’t order; it’s chaos engineered from Washington and imposed on the everyday American.
People should not live in fear of those meant to protect them. ICE, as it currently functions, must change fundamentally.
What should an immigration investigation be like?
We really need to redirect ICE’s focus away from politically motivated actions and towards the actual safety of our communities.
The funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security currently being discussed doesn’t sufficiently limit the powers of this department. I cannot support giving ICE additional funds to further their abusive practices.
Instead, we require reforms that will enhance ICE’s professionalism and concentration on real security risks, rather than political agendas or media attention. This includes establishing clear standards for the use of force, mandating body cameras, and ensuring rigorous reporting and oversight.
That’s why Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and I introduced the Overforced Immigration Act of 2026. This aims to bring necessary accountability and discipline to ICE. It will enforce standards for conduct and use of force—essentially, a principle to enforce laws in a legal manner that protects, not endangers, Americans.
The way things are currently doesn’t have to be how they remain. We can secure our borders without treating whole communities as suspects. It’s possible to enforce immigration laws without creating a terror-stricken environment for innocent people. I proposed a plan back in May to address our flawed immigration system, emphasizing stronger border security and creating legitimate pathways for legal immigration to support American businesses.
America’s immigration system is undeniably broken, and the hardline tactics employed currently only worsen the issue. It diminishes trust, threatens safety, and leads to more confusion. We definitely need to do better.
