"ICE at Airports is pure Nazi crap!"
I guess you have heard a variation of this in your social media feed of the arrest made by ICE at the San Francisco International Airport. Here is a representative example of the sheer stupidity that has been floating:
Ok, let’s repeat the name of the agency, but slowly this time: Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Immigration as in making sure foreigners coming from other countries via ports of entry like airports do it so legally.
Customs as in making sure that items imported to the United States via ports of entry like airports are legal and safe to the health and safety of the people in the United Sates.
Now he is the news that may shock some of the people: ICE has been doing that for many decades now meaning that ICE at airports is not a new fascist maneuver instituted by Evil Cheeto Man but standard operating procedure.
Getting arrested at an airport for immigration crimes unheard of? Are you shitting me? Oh wait, you are a citizen who may have not ever traveled back to the U.S. from a foreign destination or if you did so, you came back and went through the “U.S. Citizens” line to deal with <gasp> regular immigration procedures. For those of us who had to take the non-citizen line to the immigration booths, we were subject to a much deeper observation and it was not uncommon to see people trying to enter the country illegally being arrested in the spot by agents. One time coming in by Miami, my flight and a flight from Haiti arrived at the same time. It was long line and at least seven passengers had their papers examined, found to be fake and arrested one by one right in front of me, some kicking and screaming. I was a bit nervous when I got to face the agent and he somewhat jokingly addressed my nervousness. I told him that after watching seven people being arrested and taken to the bowels of the airport, I was no-shit afraid of being part of that tour. The agent checked my paperwork, stamped by non-US passport with an entry visa and wished me a good day1.
So, the idea that sending ICE agents to airports is somehow new and an abuse of power is just an unadulterated load of bullshit that even amazes cows in Texas and other cattle growing-states.
The first time I did a port of entry with an U.S. passport was memorable not only because I got to use the “U.S. Citizens” line or because the examination was less deep, but because it was the first time I heard the greeting “Welcome Home.” It was sheer joy for me.
An NPR podcast I was listening to yesterday (I know, I know) had a small segment on ICE at airports.
First they mentioned that as of day 1 the lines were no shorter - ignoring the small detail that at least a little bit of training would be expected to operate the screening hardware, for instance. (Although, perhaps not, given how it goes under TSA sometimes.) The reporter went on to say that most people they talked to were okay with ICE being there ... and then broadcast a mini-interview with a (the one?) person they found who said ICE's presence were making him nervous or something.
Oh ... and NPR podcasts have more commercial time per unit length of 'cast, than Fox News, and have had since before their funding was cut. The episode of course ended with a plea for donations.
You really can't hate them enough.
First of all, minus 2 points for Boris' listening habits. Har!!!
Main point: I'd like to see ICE *wearing* their "masks" in the airports just to piss off the lefties.