With the November midterms approaching, several Republicans in tight races are putting daylight between themselves and President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement agenda, raising concerns about how ICE is conducting operations.
According to a report [1] in Politico, Kansas Republican Senator Roger Marshall is calling for greater coordination between ICE and local law enforcement after officials in several communities said they weren’t notified before increased federal immigration activity. Marshall argued local police know their communities and can help keep residents safe.
The election-year distancing isn’t confined to Kansas either.
Florida Republican Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar declared in a campaign ad (in English and Spanish) that some of the administration’s immigration enforcement efforts had “gone too far,” while Texas Republican Rep. Monica De La Cruz has highlighted her work helping a DACA recipient get released from ICE custody.
Perhaps this new anti-ICE rhetoric is based on principle. But that’s doubtful. It’s more likely it’s because November is getting closer and closer and they feel a need to pander to what they think voters want to hear. After all, nothing inspires a sudden change of heart quite like an election looming on the calendar.
Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that they are “focused on delivering the most HISTORIC mass deportation campaign in American history – exactly as President Trump promised.”
The statement went on to say, “The men and women of ICE are enforcing the laws passed by Congress. We do not pick and choose which laws to enforce or where to enforce them. We will continue to enforce our nation’s laws and remove illegal aliens from American communities. Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, if you break the law, you will face the consequences. Illegal aliens are not welcome in the U.S.”
For Republicans suddenly getting cold feet on enforcing immigration policies, the choice to talk like Democrats is theirs. But Republican voters may decide they’re sick and tired of a GOP that decides to buckle every time the political heat gets turned up.