Statement from U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez on Reports of ICE’s Increasingly Aggressive Mass Deportation Tactics

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) issued the following statement in response to recent reports of ICE's use of increasingly aggressive tactics across the country, including in Chicago and Los Angeles, such as haphazard detentions, use of full-body restraints, detention of American citizens, and mass raids conducted by masked agents.

"The images and videos depicting ICE's increasingly violent arrests and detention practices - including excessive use of force, racial profiling, and disregard of individual civil rights - are incredibly alarming. Especially troubling, and unconstitutional, are reports of U.S. citizensand legal residents being unlawfully detained, with ICE tearing hardworking families apart in the process. While we all agree that violent criminals should face justice, this administration is instead arbitrarily detaining and profiling working class people based on the color of their skin and the language they speak. This is blatant government overreach and an abuse of power that has no place in our country.

Our immigration system should be rooted in dignity, fairness, and respect for human rights. That means focusing our resources on removing violent offenders who pose a threat to our communities, not rounding up innocent parents in front of their children. These mass raids are creating fear and chaos in neighborhoods across the country, undermining trust between law enforcement and the communities they are meant to serve.

ICE is also attempting to poach officers from local law enforcement agenciesin places like Albuquerque, and I agree with local police chiefs that these desperate recruitment tactics will have a negative impact on the safety of our communities. Moving officers away from investigating gun crimesand other public safety threats, like drug trafficking, will not make our streets safer.

As a representative of 180 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border and a majority Hispanic population, I know firsthand that we can secure our borders and keep our families safe without resorting to cruelty. The people of New Mexico are proud of who they are, the long cultural ties they share, the languages they speak, and will not accept the Trump administration's racial profiling in their communities. I will continue fighting for immigration policies that reflect our American values: safety, due process, and humanity."

Vasquez is championing a new way forward on immigration and border security. He recently led the New Dems Coalition's comprehensive Immigration and Border Security Framework, reintroduced his Strengthening Our Workforce Actto provide a path to legal status for individuals who work in critical industries and pass a background check, and reintroduced his Humane Accountability Actto ensure proper oversight of ICE enforcement and detention efforts.

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