Texas Representative Jasmine Crockett, currently campaigning for a seat in the U.S. Senate, called for the total elimination of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during a Monday interview with theGrio.
The congresswoman argued that the agency is fundamentally broken and suggested that the federal government should start fresh with a new system for enforcing the nation’s immigration laws.
Crockett pointed to the historical transition from the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) to ICE as a precedent, stating that while the country requires a mechanism for enforcement, the current iteration of the agency is no longer salvageable.
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“We know that ICE was referred to as INS before. And so I think that just like we went from INS to ICE, we have to do immigration enforcement. That is a basic, okay? We have laws for a reason. So we need to enforce our laws, absolutely,” Crockett said. “Do I think that what ICE is right now makes sense for anyone, whether they are here with legal status, not here with any status, or a U.S. citizen? I don’t.”
This stance comes at a time when immigration remains a deeply polarizing issue in Texas. According to a January 2025 poll conducted by the University of Houston’s Hobby School of Public Affairs, roughly 60% of Texans support the mass deportation of most undocumented immigrants.
Crockett’s comments align her with other progressive members of her party, such as Illinois Representative Delia Ramirez, who recently called for the dismantling of the Department of Homeland Security.
This push for reform has intensified following the fatal shooting of Renee Good in Minnesota earlier this year, which led several Democratic lawmakers to demand strict limits on ICE’s enforcement operations as a condition for DHS funding.
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Crockett has been consistent in her criticism of the agency throughout her campaign. During a primary debate on January 24, when asked directly about abolishing or defunding ICE, she responded that she was “willing to do” whatever is necessary to “clean house.”
In previous public statements, she has also drawn sharp historical parallels, comparing the agency’s tactics to “slave patrols.”
As the Senate race continues, her proposal to replace ICE sets up a clear policy debate regarding the future of American immigration enforcement and the specific role of federal agencies at the border.
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