Fresh off his Senate victory, Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed reignited his longstanding push to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), delivering scathing criticism of the agency during an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
The incoming senator, a progressive firebrand who first rose to prominence during a 2018 gubernatorial run, argued that ICE functions less as an immigration enforcement body and more as an unchecked paramilitary operation. “ICE is about normalizing paramilitary force on our streets,” El-Sayed told hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski.
A Consistent Crusade
El-Sayed pointed to his 2018 campaign rhetoric as evidence of his long-held position, noting that the agency created in 2003 under the Homeland Security Act has strayed far from its predecessor, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). “We had the safest environment when it came to any of these issues back when we had INS,” he argued.
The senator-elect accused former President Donald Trump of dramatically escalating ICE’s enforcement approach during both his terms. “Now Donald Trump has weaponized it twice in his first term and in his second term,” El-Sayed claimed, though he offered no specific examples of such weaponization during the interview.
Calls for Accountability
Beyond abolition, El-Sayed suggested federal officials who “broke our laws under the guise of serving in the federal government” should face consequences. While he didn’t name specific individuals or incidents, his comments appeared to reference controversial ICE enforcement actions under the Trump administration.
The progressive Democrat framed the issue as part of a larger need for systemic reform, arguing that simply punishing past misconduct isn’t enough. “We need to be oriented not just around accountability, but toward solving a problem down the stretch,” he said, calling for measures to “prevent the worst thing from happening.”
El-Sayed’s latest salvo against ICE comes as immigration policy promises to be a defining battleground in the new Congress. His vocal stance positions him alongside other progressive Democrats who have pushed to either abolish or radically restructure the controversial agency.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2026/11/05/el-sayed-we-dont-need-ice-they-are-a-paramilitary-force-on-our-streets/