Ben Cohen Calls for ICE to be Defunded and Disbanded
Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s, has urged for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency to be “defunded and disbanded.” This statement follows the second shooting of a U.S. citizen by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis within the same month.
Cohen mentioned his initial idea of creating an ice cream flavor to honor Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old woman fatally shot by ICE officer Jonathan Ross on January 7. However, he felt unable to proceed with the tribute after another incident where a Border Patrol agent fatally shot Alex Preti, also 37, during an immigration enforcement operation on Saturday.
Preti, an ICU nurse, was reportedly attempting to assist a female worker who had collapsed after being attacked, according to witness accounts and video footage. An agent was seen retrieving Preti’s legally owned gun from his waistband, leading to other agents firing multiple shots that killed Preti.
“I was going to make a special ice cream today to honor and celebrate the life of Renee Good, but now that Alex’s murder has revealed that Renee Good’s murder and the government’s lies were standard procedure, not a mistake, I just can’t bring myself to do it,” Cohen stated in a video on X.
Cohen further expressed concern about the situation in Minneapolis, describing it as only the start of a broader agenda where individuals, especially those who resist power, could face severe repercussions. “Brazen, arrogant, masked military forces loyal only to Trump and immune from prosecution,” he said.
He emphasized that Americans must either “submit” to the Trump administration or face dire consequences for exercising their First Amendment rights. “Submit or be killed. If you make a video, you will be killed. If you protest, you will be killed or at least put on a list of domestic terrorists and investigated,” Cohen warned.
Expressing his disapproval of current actions, he stated, “This is not freedom. This is sheer brutality. It is the beginning of the end of the land of the free.” Cohen encouraged people to stand up for justice and compassion.
Cohen also reiterated his call to abolish ICE, formed in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, and suggested reinstating the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) that managed immigration issues prior to 2001. He argued, “ICE must be defunded and disbanded. Before 2001, ICE didn’t even exist. Immigration matters were handled by the INS, which is part of the Department of Justice. And they were right.”
“Let’s get back to that,” he concluded.
Additionally, Cohen expressed his discontent with Republican leaders who profess Christian values while supporting actions against immigrants. Quoting various biblical passages, he questioned: “What did he mean when he said, ‘I was a stranger and you welcomed me?’ Love your neighbor.”
