August 29, 2018: Del Rio News-Herald * OPINION * Letter From the Editor * Keeping ICE strong

Letter to the Editor,

Keeping ICE strong

The President supports ICE: Hosting a White House Salute to Heroes, honoring the brave and courageous men and women of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

The U.S. House of Representatives supports ICE: Approving a resolution supporting ICE amid Democrats advocating abolishing the agency. The measure was approved in a 244-35 vote, with 133 Democrats voting present, which is analogous to not voting at all. Eighteen Democrats voting in favor of the resolution, while 34 voted against it. A “No” vote came from Representative Beto O'Rourke (Democrat - Texas), who is the Democratic nominee in the U.S. Senate election this year against Senator Ted Cruz (Republican - Texas).

Thirty-six Republicans in the U.S. Senate joined as cosponsors of a resolution including John Cornyn (Republican-Texas) and Ted Cruz (Republican-Texas) to “support the officers and personnel who carry out the important mission of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement”.  The Senate Democrats blocked the resolution from receiving Senate passage.

Senator Ted Cruz supports ICE: Speaking on the Senate floor he stated, “Criminals arrested by ICE in fiscal year 2017 were responsible for more than 76,000 dangerous drug offenses, over 48,000 assault offenses, over 11,000 weapons offenses, over 5,000 sexual assault offenses, over 2,000 kidnapping offenses and over 1,800 murders and yet many Democrats are advocating abolishing their role. ICE, in fiscal year 2017, seized more than 980,000 pounds of narcotics. The approach of the modern Democratic Party is to say, abolish the agency that has arrested all these criminals. This is a radical and reckless position. Nobody who cares about humanity should want to incentivize putting little children in the control of global transnational drug cartels and human traffickers. No, we should not abolish the agency charged with protecting us from vicious and violent criminals.” 

The Vice President supports ICE: Tweeting, “With this @HouseGOP, @SenateGOP, and @POTUS in @WhiteHouse - We will NEVER abolish ICE! #IStandWithICE”

An appreciative and grateful nation strongly supports ICE: Keep up the great work!

Marian Casillas, Ed.D.

Del Rio, Texas