Serious question, and I wasn't aware of anyone other than Rob to ask these to:
How do you feel about the direction of the country in general? Do you think ICE is a net positive for our country? Would love any honest answers.
Thanks,
ICE
- Thread starter PF5
- Start date
How do you feel about the direction of the country in general? Do you think ICE is a net positive for our country? Would love any honest answers.
Thanks,
JTOSU
Ranger
ICE: We saw an unprecedented increase in illegal immigration during last couple of years and the need for a change of immigration policy was necessary. As a country we simply cannot support the level of illegal immigration we experienced. But we have over corrected. And government is over-stepping. Having a police force covering their faces is wrong. But as a public we need to understand the need for ICE, but just demand changes in tactics.
Trump: Although I certainly like some of his policies (ie not having a tax increase in 2025), I have neither liked nor supported him. He is not a fiscal conservative and will continue reckless spending. He is a bully with inflammatory language that is divisive to America. The Greenland stuff is beyond stupid. The worst may yet be the DOJ attacking Jerome Powell. Powell, IMO, has been a pretty good Fed leader (not perfect as he was late to act of inflation), but Fed needs to be independent.
Direction of country: I don't like that we are even more divided as a nation, but that has been on a continual decline for awhile.
Rookie. Hawaiian shirt is the way to go incognito.
Direction:
ICE: They were supposed to focus on criminals. They've deported ~527K illegal immigrants. I don't know the percentages on criminals to just regular immigrants trying to make a living, but there is a visual focus on weird places where they don't appear to be violent criminals/terrorists. I don't care to see immigrants getting picked off at a construction site or manufacturer or elementary school. That just seems like low hanging fruit.
Now, I know many of y'all in here probably don't want to read or own up to this fact, but Obama deported just over *3 million illegal immigrants in two terms. At current pace, the Trump is set to deport just over 2 million in just one term. It will be interesting to see if this pace continues in the second year of this administration. The job doesn't look easy. It looks ugly and messy.
Instead of mass deportation, we should deport government fraud and wasteful spending. We can waste trillions to some of the most awful people in this world, but we can't use trillions to solve homeless and mental crisis and wipe out the predatory student loans.
*Source Bro: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/06/19/obama-trump-deportation-numbers/84257245007/
I think you'd get a lot of agreement (from me at least), that a change in immigration policy was 100% needed and what happened during Biden's presidency was unacceptable. I think most reasonable people would agree.
But I think the only way out of this is if the republican's start telling Trump enough is enough with current, covered-face tactics. Someone is going to have to stand up to him and tell him this is completely wrong. It feels like he's pulling all the threads at the moment and we're unraveling. ICE, his statements on Greenland, and the investigation of Powell - all three have the potential to end 'life as we know it'.
Direction:
ICE: They were supposed to focus on criminals. They've deported ~527K illegal immigrants. I don't know the percentages on criminals to just regular immigrants trying to make a living, but there is a visual focus on weird places where they don't appear to be violent criminals/terrorists. I don't care to see immigrants getting picked off at a construction site or manufacturer or elementary school. That just seems like low hanging fruit.
Now, I know many of y'all in here probably don't want to read or own up to this fact, but Obama deported just over *3 million illegal immigrants in two terms. At current pace, the Trump is set to deport just over 2 million in just one term. It will be interesting to see if this pace continues in the second year of this administration. The job doesn't look easy. It looks ugly and messy.
Instead of mass deportation, we should deport government fraud and wasteful spending. We can waste trillions to some of the most awful people in this world, but we can't use trillions to solve homeless and mental crisis and wipe out the predatory student loans.
*Source Bro: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/06/19/obama-trump-deportation-numbers/84257245007/
Comparison of the Obama, Trump, and Biden Administration Immigration Enforcement Priorities
Same same. But different. In a very dangerous and IMO unconstitutional way.
Direction:
Now, I know many of y'all in here probably don't want to read or own up to this fact, but Obama deported just over *3 million illegal immigrants in two terms. At current pace, the Trump is set to deport just over 2 million in just one term. It will be interesting to see if this pace continues in the second year of this administration. The job doesn't look easy. It looks ugly and messy.
I'm curious about this, as I think you are completely wrong about the feelings of "many" here.
Please, if you had issues with the policy of deportations under President Obama, click this (my) post with a "disagree."
I don't think this forum has a bunch of open-border advocates. It is just people that want sane border policy. We don't have that now.
From what I saw, given the constraints of crappy-law from congress, Obama's policies were pretty sane.
The Obama Record on Deportations: Deporter in Chief or Not?
President Obama faced criticism over his administration's handling of immigration enforcement from both the left and the right, labeled "deporter in chief" even as he was also accused of lax enforcement. A closer examination of his administration's record paints a more nuanced picture. This...
The most recent enforcement figures released by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on December 30 offer the latest evidence of these trends. Eighty-five percent of all removals and returns during fiscal year (FY) 2016 were of noncitizens who had recently crossed the U.S. border unlawfully. Of the remainder, who were removed from the U.S. interior, more than 90 percent had been convicted of what DHS defines as serious crimes.
You said it much better than I was going to.I'm curious about this, as I think you are completely wrong about the feelings of "many" here.
Please, if you had issues with the policy of deportations under President Obama, click this (my) post with a "disagree."
I don't think this forum has a bunch of open-border advocates. It is just people that want sane border policy. We don't have that now.
From what I saw, given the constraints of crappy-law from congress, Obama's policies were pretty sane.
The enforcement priorities and policies, which evolved over the years, represented a significant departure from those of the Bush and Clinton administrations. As detailed below, the Obama-era policies represented the culmination of a gradual but consistent effort to narrow its enforcement focus to two key groups: The deportation of criminals and recent unauthorized border crossers.The Obama Record on Deportations: Deporter in Chief or Not?
President Obama faced criticism over his administration's handling of immigration enforcement from both the left and the right, labeled "deporter in chief" even as he was also accused of lax enforcement. A closer examination of his administration's record paints a more nuanced picture. This...www.migrationpolicy.org
The most recent enforcement figures released by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on December 30 offer the latest evidence of these trends. Eighty-five percent of all removals and returns during fiscal year (FY) 2016 were of noncitizens who had recently crossed the U.S. border unlawfully. Of the remainder, who were removed from the U.S. interior, more than 90 percent had been convicted of what DHS defines as serious crimes.
And, as suspected, complete suppression of investigation of this killing.
Authoritarian Federal government prevents state level investigation.
Authoritarian Federal government blocks investigation by the federal office that is supposed to investigate.
If it is so very obviously self-defense as the MAGAs are claiming, why would they not want a full, transparent investigation to show it?
Please, naysayers, again tell me how this is not becoming a dictatorship?
Authoritarian Federal government prevents state level investigation.
Authoritarian Federal government blocks investigation by the federal office that is supposed to investigate.
If it is so very obviously self-defense as the MAGAs are claiming, why would they not want a full, transparent investigation to show it?
Please, naysayers, again tell me how this is not becoming a dictatorship?
I'm not disagreeing with you here, but do you think the current border policy is more or less "sane" than that of the previous administration?I'm curious about this, as I think you are completely wrong about the feelings of "many" here.
Please, if you had issues with the policy of deportations under President Obama, click this (my) post with a "disagree."
I don't think this forum has a bunch of open-border advocates. It is just people that want sane border policy. We don't have that now.
From what I saw, given the constraints of crappy-law from congress, Obama's policies were pretty sane.
The enforcement priorities and policies, which evolved over the years, represented a significant departure from those of the Bush and Clinton administrations. As detailed below, the Obama-era policies represented the culmination of a gradual but consistent effort to narrow its enforcement focus to two key groups: The deportation of criminals and recent unauthorized border crossers.The Obama Record on Deportations: Deporter in Chief or Not?
President Obama faced criticism over his administration's handling of immigration enforcement from both the left and the right, labeled "deporter in chief" even as he was also accused of lax enforcement. A closer examination of his administration's record paints a more nuanced picture. This...
The most recent enforcement figures released by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on December 30 offer the latest evidence of these trends. Eighty-five percent of all removals and returns during fiscal year (FY) 2016 were of noncitizens who had recently crossed the U.S. border unlawfully. Of the remainder, who were removed from the U.S. interior, more than 90 percent had been convicted of what DHS defines as serious crimes.
Better than the previous administration. After Title 42 expired, Biden did not in any way prioritize the border. Crossings were like 10X normal. The population of Oklahoma coming in per year is unsustainable. We need a secure border. I don't think anyone has said otherwise.
The deportation policies are inhumane.
Both are/were wrong or not sane. How one feels about the magnitude of wrong for each is really going to depend on perspective.
Yep. No war on brown people. Nothing to see. We don’t need investigations and trials.
If I read your same but different post correctly, Obama admin focused on violent criminals and recent crosses whereas the Trump admin looks at them all the same; meaning, illegal is illegal and they're out once caught.
Is that what you are claiming is inhumane or are you saying the way illegals are currently deported is inhumane?
Funny I didn’t say the podium was word for word and google Gemini does indicate that while the podium is not word for word the idea is from nazi germany.
I didn’t say say the social media post was word for word and ithe other things mentioned were not addressed by you.
This is not a time to parse words or call people out bc they use voice notes and the punctuation isn’t to your liking. You say there’s no war on brown people. Well war might be a strong word but there is definitely a culture of intimidation on people of color. And it’s wrong.
Stephen Miller is a corrupt and evil person. He knows what he is doing and the language and culture he is referencing.
But like I said. Welcome back. Thanks for being true to form and making posters choose kicking door jams w toothpicks under their toenails.
Trump ICE is looked at in a negative light. I understand the reasoning. There are people that want to know ICE identity to dox them at the least and physically harm them at the most. This is why they cover up.
Could it be possible that Obama ICE wasn't under the same type of scrutiny and therefore, didn't have to worry about the risk of dox and harm?
You didn't ask me, but IMO, it goes far beyond "illegal is illegal" to "if we can figure out an excuse, we will deport you."
I'm pretty sure that this was posted before, but a legal combat vet sent to Korea for personal use drug offenses that occurred after he was shot twice for our nation? And, she sat there with her resting b!^(# face saying that he has to follow the laws because he suffered drug problems after getting shot twice?
Last edited:
I would prefer aggressive enforcement of the immigration laws while respecting due process and the constitution.
As has been pointed out, Obama deported a whole lot of folks. Managed to do it while also respecting the law.
If I have to choose between VERY lax enforcement of the immigration laws I saw in the Biden administration and the wholesale disrespect for due process and constitutional rights I'm seeing with the Trump administration's "enforcement", I'm reluctantly choosing Biden's approach.
Tough. If they acted like civil servants and treated people appropriately, they would not be all over video looking like thugs and there would be no reason to dox them. Border patrol has been arresting people for deportation for decades with no worries. This is not the correct response to the problem.
Obama ICE did not do this. Do you really think that if citizens were being ripped out of job sites and ICE agent were walking up and breaking car windows that nobody in 2016 would have bothered to film it? Do you really think if it was filmed that it would not be all over social media? IMO, no that is not a realistic claim.
Could it be possible that Obama ICE wasn't under the same type of scrutiny because they didn't continually violate due process and the constitutional rights while deporting a whole bunch of folks.
