Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego wants to rebuild immigration enforcement in the US, remake ICE

PHOENIX — Arizona U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego wants to rebuild the way the United States handles its immigration enforcement and remake Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

“I think we have to totally remake what we want in this country for immigration enforcement,” Gallego told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Outspoken with Bruce & Gaydos on Monday. “Now, that means maybe we have to move ICE into another department (or) if we have to rename it to have its core.”

The senator noted that even after being remodeled the core function of ICE or any group that replaces it would still be deportations. He said what would change would be the group’s priorities, which Gallego believes should be decided as a country.

“I think what people have clearly said is they want a secure border, which (President Donald) Trump has done to give him credit,” Gallego said. “And number two, they want us to go after the criminals. The people that are real problems in our country, the ones that are a danger not just to everyday Americans but even to the immigrant community. And they want us to do it in a professional manner.”

How does Sen. Ruben Gallego want to rebuild immigration enforcement, ICE?

Gallego believes that part of the changes should be decreasing the number of ICE agents and requiring those who are agents to have more training as well as follow the Constitution, such as having warrants.

“We don’t have to accept that everything that’s happening right now is the way it should go in the future,” Gallego said.

The senator added that in order to earn the trust of the community, policing and law enforcement have to be done in a professional manner.

“What you’re seeing now is people pushing back because most humans, especially Americans, don’t like being oppressed,” Gallego said. “They don’t like being pushed, and they don’t like feeling the federal government on top of them.”

Gallego noted that in the beginning, the Trump administration was handling immigration enforcement correctly.

“They were going after guys. They weren’t doing this kind of mass roundup, and you didn’t see the protests,” Gallego said. “It’s when they started using this type of system where they’re just rounding up people (and) racially profiling people that you started seeing people pushing back.”

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