Democrats press New York delegation to ‘abolish’ ICE

"This is an unsustainable degree of impunity, cruelty, and recklessness that cannot be reformed," they wrote. "We applaud recent efforts by congressional Democrats to block funding to Trump's ICE and Border Patrol, but we must go further. We can no longer ignore the threat that ICE, which has only existed since 2002, poses to our communities and to our democracy."

The letter was led by state Sen. Julia Salazar, a Brooklyn and Queens Democrat, and signed by more than 100 Democratic state lawmakers, New York City council members, county leaders and other local officials. 

The signatories pointed out that while President Donald Trump has "escalated" ICE's operations since he returned to the White House last year, the federal agency's issues "did not begin with him" in a reference to former Democratic President Barack Obama, whose administration deported millions. 

"Past administrations have been complicit in ICE's growing abuse of power, and the agency's cruelty will continue regardless of who sits in the White House," they wrote. 

"For the safety of our constituents and to restore public trust and the rule of law, we call on you and all congressional Democrats to publicly support the abolition of ICE and to leverage your positions to defund and dismantle this rogue federal agency," they added.

New York is facing a crackdown over its sanctuary policies that restrict local cooperation with federal immigration raids and a law signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul that expands many of those policies statewide. Trump's border czar Tom Homan has pledged to "flood the zone" with ICE agents in response to the state's resistance. 

But Trump administration officials have also slammed Democratic lawmakers for calling to abolish the agency and criticized them for "violent" rhetoric they say has contributed to an uptick in threats and acts of violence targeting ICE agents. They've cited dozens of recent incidents, including Monday's firebombing by an anti-ICE demonstrator outside of a federal immigration court in New York City. 

“Every day, the brave men and women of ICE and CBP put their lives on the line to protect the American people and remove criminal illegal aliens from our communities," Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement. “Yet, because of the dangerous smears and hoaxes spread by sanctuary politicians, our officers are facing a 3,300% increase in vehicle attacks by illegal aliens and anti-ICE agitators."

"We are once again calling on sanctuary politicians, agitators, and the media to turn the temperature down and stop calling for violence and resistance against ICE law enforcement," she said.