# Democratic Party Official Position is to Abolish ICE **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 15, 2026, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-party-official-position-is-to-abolish-ice/1032355 "2026-08-15T19:46:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2026, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-party-official-position-is-to-abolish-ice/1032355/264 "2026-08-22T02:35:53Z")
I’m willing to allow Customs and Border Protection to try their hand at protecting the border. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2026, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-party-official-position-is-to-abolish-ice/1032355/265 "2026-08-22T02:43:10Z")
> [@Common\_Tater](#): > > So is the consensus that abolishing ICE is synonymous with open borders, or is there some other mechanism to enforce federal immigration law, Right here is why the Democrats keep losing: they let the Republicans set the tone. The message the Democrats need to get across is simple: **There are no open borders.** No ifs, ands or buts. The mechanisms we had in place twenty, thirty, forty years ago are more than adequate. ICE and its Temu Gestapo tactics are a bad solution looking for a problem. **There are no open borders.** Lather, rinse, repeat. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2026, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-party-official-position-is-to-abolish-ice/1032355/266 "2026-08-22T02:50:09Z")
> [@CaptMurdock](#): > > Right here is why the Democrats keep losing: they let the Republicans set the tone. > > The message the Democrats need to get across is simple: **There are no open borders.** No ifs, ands or buts. The mechanisms we had in place twenty, thirty, forty years ago are more than adequate. ICE and its Temu Gestapo tactics are a bad solution looking for a problem. > > **There are no open borders.** Lather, rinse, repeat. Totally agree. The borders haven’t been “open” since 1875. It needs to be said again and again. Replace ICE and let border patrol or whoever manage the border. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2026, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-party-official-position-is-to-abolish-ice/1032355/267 "2026-08-22T11:48:59Z")
> [@Common\_Tater](#): > > This doesn’t seem to be very well thought out from a political perspective. Your post doesn’t seem very well thought out. CBP is who keeps the borders secure. ICE operates inside the US. They used to track down the stuff that CBP missed, I think, but now their job is to terrify the populace, citizens or not, documented or not. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2026, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-party-official-position-is-to-abolish-ice/1032355/268 "2026-08-22T12:19:07Z")
I propose the Dorkness rule of slogans: If you have to explain why your slogan is for a good idea, it’s a bad slogan. If I have to explain why your slogan is for a bad idea, it’s a good slogan. ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2026, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-party-official-position-is-to-abolish-ice/1032355/269 "2026-08-22T12:52:20Z")
> [@CaptMurdock](#): > > Right here is why the Democrats keep losing: they let the Republicans set the tone. Well, it’s cute you think I’m a Republican, I guess. I’m not setting a “tone” here, I’m just pointing out the obvious. There are millions and millions of illegal aliens in the country. This has been a bi-partisan decades long debacle, there is _plenty_ of blame to go around. It is certainly worth asking anyone who advocates abolishing of the entire federal immigration enforcement agency what they think about “the border”, generally speaking? See where I’m goin’ with that? ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2026, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-party-official-position-is-to-abolish-ice/1032355/270 "2026-08-22T12:54:10Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > CBP is who keeps the borders secure. Well, OK. I think the argument could be made they pretty much suck at their job, for whatever reason. Wouldn’t you agree? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2026, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-party-official-position-is-to-abolish-ice/1032355/271 "2026-08-22T13:00:26Z")
> [@Common\_Tater](#): > > It is certainly worth asking anyone who advocates abolishing of the entire federal immigration enforcement agency what they think about “the border”, generally speaking? See where I’m goin’ with that? And if anyone proposes that, we’ll ask them. What does that do with abolishing ICE? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2026, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-party-official-position-is-to-abolish-ice/1032355/272 "2026-08-22T13:00:44Z")
I agree that “the argument could be made.” Do you agree that the argument could be made that, given the number of sick people, doctors suck at their job? The “doctors suck” argument holds more water, IMO, because at least sickness is an unambiguous problem, whereas the number of illegal immigrants is not a problem at all. The only problem with the number of illegal immigrants is the mismatch between the people who want to move to our nation and the laws permitting them entry. Fixing the laws fixes 99% of the problem. ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2026, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-party-official-position-is-to-abolish-ice/1032355/273 "2026-08-22T13:07:29Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > What does that do with abolishing ICE? I suppose it doesn’t matter too much what acronym does deportations? Can BP deport illegals from the interior? I don’t know, I assume not. ICE “cleans up” what they have missed, apparently. Is it possible a large majority of Americans dislike porous borders? This is, after all, how you got Trump in the first place. Alone among all those Republicans on the stage way back in 2016. I think the plan was Bush v. Clinton ver 3.0. I’m not saying I like these arrangements, but both parties are just pathetically bad on this issue. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2026, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-party-official-position-is-to-abolish-ice/1032355/274 "2026-08-22T13:11:13Z")
No. In rough terms, half of the undocumented immigrants in the US entered legally and overstayed their visas. ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2026, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-party-official-position-is-to-abolish-ice/1032355/275 "2026-08-22T13:14:50Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > whereas the number of illegal immigrants is not a problem at all Of course everyone is entitled to their opinion, but a lot of people seem to take issue with that, in the strongest possible terms. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2026, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-party-official-position-is-to-abolish-ice/1032355/276 "2026-08-22T13:16:34Z")
Nobody actually cares about the number of illegal immigrants. Some people care very much about the number of brown people. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2026, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-party-official-position-is-to-abolish-ice/1032355/277 "2026-08-22T13:18:12Z")
Just say “abolish the secret police”. We all know who that refers to. ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2026, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-party-official-position-is-to-abolish-ice/1032355/278 "2026-08-22T13:22:42Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Nobody actually cares about the number of illegal immigrants. Some people care very much about the number of brown people. It’s your contention “nobody” cares about the number of illegals? That’s a take, I guess. Good luck with that. Magnifying _everything_ through the lens of race is also getting a bit long in the tooth, politically speaking. This is why Democrats keep losing party members! “America, You Suck! Vote For Us!” isn’t working out so great. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2026, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-party-official-position-is-to-abolish-ice/1032355/279 "2026-08-22T13:28:55Z")
Not literally “nobody”, of course, but “not a large enough portion of the electorate to be significant”. As evidenced by the fact that our First Lady is an illegal immigrant, and no Republican gives a damn. > [@Common\_Tater](#): > > Magnifying _everything_ through the lens of race is also getting a bit long in the tooth, politically speaking. Yes, and we (Democrats) are trying really hard to change that, but the racists just insist on keeping on being racist. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2026, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-party-official-position-is-to-abolish-ice/1032355/280 "2026-08-22T13:35:00Z")
The lens of race is the only reason why Republicans have such a boner about immigration. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2026, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-party-official-position-is-to-abolish-ice/1032355/281 "2026-08-22T14:12:49Z")
ICE doesn’t manage the border. It’s a bit of unfortunate naming and public confusion that plays into this. Basically pre-9/11, we had a bunch of Federal agencies that had missions that were related to borders, customs, and immigration. After 9/11, they were all consolidated into three organizations- US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Citizenship and Immigration Services, and Customs and Border Protection. The breakdown of the responsibilities is supposed to be that CBP handles the borders and stuff coming in at ports of entry , ICE handles enforcement of immigration and customs laws within the US, and USCIS handles things like visas, asylum, and naturalization of immigrants. So ICE isn’t border protection; that’s CBP. ICE is more about enforcing the laws that are in place within the US. But at Trump’s direction they’ve gone way outside their mandate from law enforcement into what amounts to harassment and terrorism. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2026, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-party-official-position-is-to-abolish-ice/1032355/282 "2026-08-22T14:45:29Z")
> [@Common\_Tater](#): > > Of course everyone is entitled to their opinion, but a lot of people seem to take issue with that, in the strongest possible terms. I mean, a lot of people hold dumb opinions, I know that. My broader point is that saying CBP sucks at their job because there are illegal immigrants is a super foolish argument to make, akin to saying doctors suck at their job because there are people who drink alcohol. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2026, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-party-official-position-is-to-abolish-ice/1032355/283 "2026-08-22T15:03:16Z")
> [@Common\_Tater](#): > > Of course everyone is entitled to their opinion, but a lot of people seem to take issue with that, in the strongest possible terms. A lot of people take issue with same-sex marriage. Before that, they took issue with interracial marriage. Before that, women’s suffrage. Before that, POC’s suffrage. Why do you want to cater to people who have constantly on the wrong side of history? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-party-official-position-is-to-abolish-ice/1032355.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-party-official-position-is-to-abolish-ice/1032355.md?page=15)