WASHINGTON — Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer sharply criticized Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during a Feb. 15 appearance on CNN’s State of the Union, labeling the agency a “rogue force” that is “out of control” and “almost trained … to be nasty and mean and cruel.” Schumer’s remarks, which tied into recent enforcement actions and tragic incidents in Minneapolis, have sparked a heated debate over the role and tactics of federal immigration authorities amid ongoing political tensions over border security.
Schumer, a New York Democrat, described ICE operations as involving “masked agents conducting warrantless operations” and “roving patrols” that “bash in” doors, likening the tactics to “secret police” methods “reminiscent of what you see in dictatorships.” He highlighted “chaos, secrecy, and zero accountability” within the agency, connecting these criticisms to the deaths of U.S. citizens during enforcement actions in Minneapolis. According to Schumer, these events illustrate ICE terrorizing “innocent Americans” and “everyday” immigrant families.
In response to the incidents, Schumer called for “common sense” guardrails on ICE, including a ban on agents wearing masks, mandatory body cameras at all times, judicial warrants required for every entry, an end to roving patrols, and stricter use-of-force policies. Democrats, he said, are pushing these demands as part of broader efforts to rein in the agency. This stance has contributed to a partial government shutdown, with Democrats refusing to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and several other federal agencies until these reforms are addressed.
The controversy comes against the backdrop of intensified immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, following the 2024 election where voters rejected what critics described as “open-border chaos.” ICE, a federal law enforcement body under DHS, is tasked with executing immigration statutes passed by Congress and directed by the president. According to defenders of the agency, its operations are essential for upholding U.S. sovereignty and addressing the impacts of unrestricted illegal immigration, which they say erodes the social contract, depresses wages for low-skilled American workers, and burdens taxpayers with costs estimated in the tens of billions annually for education, health care, and welfare.
Linda Denno, associate dean of Academic Affairs & Administration at the University of Arizona College of Applied Science and Technology, wrote in a New York Post opinion piece published on Feb. 17 that Schumer’s portrayal “inverts reality.” Denno argued that ICE is not a rogue agency but one employing standard procedures for high-risk operations. She noted that administrative warrants are used for civil removal orders, and tactical gear, including masks, is worn for officer protection amid a documented surge in violence against agents.
Specifically, Denno cited a 1,300% increase in assaults on ICE officers and an 8,000% rise in death threats since the current enforcement push began. She compared ICE tactics to those used by the FBI in hostage rescues, the DEA in raids on fentanyl labs, and local SWAT teams, which routinely employ masks, anonymity, and dynamic entries when facing armed threats or risks of doxxing. “Local police are ‘unmasked’ in routine traffic stops, but they do not regularly confront transnational cartels, MS-13 affiliates, or activist networks that publish officers’ home addresses,” Denno wrote.
Denno also pointed out that Schumer’s “selective outrage” overlooks similar standards of force used by other federal agencies without them being labeled as secret police. Regarding the Minneapolis cases, she described them as “tragic” but “outliers” in operations that overwhelmingly target individuals with final removal orders or criminal histories, rather than representing systemic violence or terrorizing of communities.
Enforcing immigration law is existential to U.S. sovereignty. Unrestricted illegal immigration erodes the social contract, depresses wages for low-skilled American workers, and burdens taxpayers with education, health care, and welfare costs estimated in the tens of billions annually.
Schumer has insisted that Americans overwhelmingly support these “common sense” demands, a claim echoed in recent polling that shows a majority viewing ICE tactics as too aggressive. However, Denno attributed this public sentiment to media mischaracterizations of isolated incidents, framing them as ICE terrorizing “innocent Americans,” which has fueled dissatisfaction. She suggested that polls reflect “the noise, not the merits,” amplified by left-wing mega-donors funding anti-ICE protests to cripple border security.
“Americans are not turning soft on illegal immigration; they are reacting to politicized and overdramatized tragedy in real time,” Denno wrote. She criticized Democrats’ resistance to enforcement, including sanctuary policies and opposition to citizenship questions in the census, as not purely humanitarian but aimed at preserving political power. Blue states like California and New York, she argued, are losing native-born residents to red states with lower taxes and better governance, facing population decline, reduced federal funding, and fewer House seats without an influx of noncitizens.
Under the Constitution, representation is based on counting “persons,” not just citizens, so undocumented immigrants in sanctuary cities can inflate a state’s congressional delegation and electoral influence, according to Denno. This dynamic, she said, underscores Democrats’ strategic embrace of unrestricted immigration as a means of maintaining power.
The partial government shutdown, now in its early stages, has disrupted funding for key agencies, raising concerns about national security and disaster response capabilities. DHS and FEMA officials have not publicly commented on the funding impasse, but sources within the administration reportedly view the Democratic demands as an attempt to hobble enforcement efforts. Meanwhile, immigrant advocacy groups have rallied behind Schumer’s calls, organizing protests in cities like Minneapolis and New York to demand accountability for ICE actions.
In Minneapolis, the deaths of U.S. citizens during recent ICE operations have drawn particular scrutiny. Local officials reported that the incidents occurred amid enforcement actions targeting individuals with deportation orders, though details remain under investigation by federal authorities. Community leaders, including representatives from immigrant rights organizations, have described the events as emblematic of broader overreach, echoing Schumer’s warnings about the agency’s tactics.
As the debate intensifies, the political stakes are high. The 2024 election saw a mandate for stricter border controls, with Trump’s victory signaling public frustration over immigration policies. Yet, the current standoff risks prolonging the shutdown, potentially affecting millions of federal workers and services. Analysts note that similar funding battles in past years, such as those over border wall construction, often resolved through compromise, but the rhetoric this time appears more polarized.
Looking ahead, resolution may hinge on negotiations in Congress, where Republicans hold a slim majority in the House and Senate. Schumer has vowed to continue pressing for reforms, stating on CNN that without them, “the chaos will only worsen.” Denno, in her piece, urged Americans not to be “gaslighted” into believing ICE has crossed an unacceptable line, emphasizing that “vigorous ICE enforcement is not ‘nasty’ – it is necessary restoration of order.”
For hardworking American taxpayers, the outcome could shape not only immigration policy but also the balance of federal priorities. As blue states grapple with demographic shifts and red states absorb population growth, the immigration debate remains a flashpoint in national politics, with sovereignty, security, and representation at its core.