Maxine Dexter Calls U.S. Immigration Enforcement “Terrorism”
During a town hall meeting on Saturday, Rep. Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.) described U.S. immigration enforcement as akin to “terrorism,” asserting her commitment to dismantle the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency if Democrats regain power.
“It’s just straight-up terrorism that’s being provoked. If we call it out and we come together, people won’t want to do that kind of work anymore,” Dexter expressed to the audience at Wyeast Middle School in Oregon.
On the topic of ICE, Dexter remarked, “I shouldn’t get political, but if there is a change in political will, it is absolutely possible to completely dismantle and abolish ICE.” Her stance aligns with a broader call among several Democrats for reforms following recent civil unrest related to President Trump’s immigration policies.
In January, after two civilians were shot in separate incidents involving immigration officials in Minneapolis, Dexter was one of the first Congressional members to refuse support for a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill lacking significant ICE reforms.
While most Democrats later endorsed Dexter’s position, the initial push for reform came from the Congressional Progressive Caucus, with support from various representatives, including Pramila Jayapal, D-Washington, and Ilhan Omar, D-Minnesota.
A standoff regarding DHS funding resulted in a partial government shutdown that began on February 14th. During this period, Senate Democrats also withheld approval for DHS funding without addressing several proposed reforms to ICE.
Among these reforms are requests for new operational restrictions, such as ending loitering patrols, banning masks, requiring visible ID, and tightening warrant protocols for public detentions of undocumented individuals.
These changes would represent the most significant modifications to ICE operations since its inception in 2003.
Republicans have dismissed these proposals, arguing that they would hinder the administration’s immigration agenda.
Dexter’s office has not yet responded to inquiries regarding her remarks, including any campaign promises made and event funding details.
