UniqueRebranding of: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The investigative unit, due to the alleged “undue toxicity” that ICE is facing from some on the left, is apparently causing some frustration within the agency — a top official in its separate branch told staff. Promised that he would avoid “political theatre”.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), which is part of ICE and conducts federal criminal investigations involving international crime, launched a standalone website on Tuesday that shakes up the ICE branding.
ICE Acting Director Patrick Lechleitner said Washington Post That “independent branding” allows HSI to operate “without the undue toxicity that comes with the ICE moniker in some places.”
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The rebranding comes amid sustained and fierce resistance from some on the left over ICE’s mission through its Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) wing to arrest and deport illegal immigrants.
ICE agents are depicted arresting a man. (ICE ERO El Paso/X)
‘Sanctuary’ jurisdictions limit local law enforcement cooperation with ICE, while many Democrats in Congress support it “Abolish ICE” Agitation. The Biden administration itself sought to end ICE deportations after entering office, but a federal judge blocked it. Major cities such as New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago refuse to work with ICE in some aspects of their mission.
The ICE chief said that in light of left-wing opposition, being associated with ICE could have a negative impact on investigators who are not dealing directly with immigration.
“We are not a political organization. We are a law enforcement, national security, public safety agency. However, this was impacting HSI’s ability to operate and investigate,” Lechleitner told the Post.
However, he stressed that it would still remain part of ICE. But the new standalone website makes little mention of the agency. The rollout was accompanied by an engaging video posted on
Deportation officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested a thrice-deportable Mexican man wanted on murder charges in California. (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) (Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
But the rebranding appears to have caused some disappointment on the ERO side of ICE, which, unlike its neighbor, is keeping it intact ICE branding, In an internal email to ERO staff seen by Fox News Digital, ERO Executive Associate Director Daniel Bible mentioned the HSI rebrand, but made it clear that ERO would not follow it.
“HSI’s decision is what is best for the program according to its leadership,” he said. “Similarly, (ERO’s) decisions are guided by what is believed to be best for it operationally and programmatically. ERO has centered its decision-making on its most important quality: each of you and always continues to Will keep.”
He then promised that there would be no “wholesale rebranding of ERO”.
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“ERO operates with professionalism, respect, compassion and integrity. Our mission will not be influenced by political theater or media rhetoric and our identity will remain steadfast,” he said in the offending email.
Bible listed recent successes by the agency, including Operation Speed Race – which caught 216 criminals involved in drug trafficking – and Operation Night Guard which resulted in the arrest of 171 murderers and poachers. He also highlighted a separate operation that resulted in the arrest of 275 sex offenders.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents arrest alleged immigration violators at Fresh Mark, Salem, June 19, 2018. ((Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images))
“As we move forward together, and as ERO’s mission evolves and matures, I will continue to support the ERO brand, advocate for the brave men and women of ERO, and give ERO the operational space to Use your criminal and civil immigration authorities to push for changes in policy and structure,” Bible said.
“Let me repeat, I am proud to be part of the ICE and ERO family, and I know each of you are too.”
The disappointment comes amid the ongoing crisis at the border that has spread to cities and towns across the country. Recently ICE has also arrested many people criminal illegal immigrant – including child sex offenders – who were arrested by local jurisdictions but then released onto the streets despite pleas from ICE for cooperation.
An El Salvador national with multiple arrests was taken into custody by federal immigration authorities last month. (snow)
The Biden administration has stoked controversy by reducing ICE’s enforcement priorities and imposing additional limits on where agents can make arrests, significantly reducing deportations from Trump-era levels. DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas Stated that illegal presence in the United States is no longer grounds for initiating enforcement against an illegal immigrant. But the administration has sought additional resources from Congress, claiming that its actions allow it to focus on public safety and national security threats with the limited resources available.
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In response to the rebranding, RJ Houman, president of the National Immigration Center for Enforcement (NICE) and visiting advisor to The Heritage Foundation, claimed that the overhaul was part of the administration’s anti-enforcement agenda.
“Through countless policy memoranda, pilot programs, and inappropriate use of resources, the Biden administration has effectively destroyed ICE’s ability to arrest, detain, and remove illegal aliens in accordance with the law,” he said. “But they not only hate the rule of law, they hate the agency itself, especially its main law enforcement unit – ERO.”
“Instead of standing shoulder to shoulder with the brave men and women of ERO and pushing back against the false ICE narratives and absurd operational requests, current leaders are taking the side of an entity that thinks they can enforce immigration laws. “Detaining and removing illegal aliens on a reasonable scale should take precedence over finding counterfeit NFL jerseys and returning stolen antiques,” he said. ‘
