President Trump said Democrats are “deeply concerned” about their leaders’ vocal opposition to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, adding that such calls will result in Democrat voters being spurred to turn to the GOP in this year’s midterm elections.
In a tweet Monday evening, Trump echoed his earlier claims that Democrats will be “beaten so badly” if they continue to hit out at the immigration agency.
“Many Democrats are deeply concerned about the fact that their ‘leadership’ wants to denounce and abandon the great men and women of ICE, thereby declaring war on Law & Order,” Trump tweeted. “These people will be voting for Republicans in November and, in many cases, joining the Republican Party!”
Many Democrats are deeply concerned about the fact that their “leadership” wants to denounce and abandon the great men and women of ICE, thereby declaring war on Law & Order. These people will be voting for Republicans in November and, in many cases, joining the Republican Party!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 3, 2018
The president’s post comes amid a flurry of call from Democrats, including Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., to abolish the agency in response to the Trump administration’s enforcement of a zero tolerance immigration policy that had resulted in migrant family separations at the border. Trump signed an executive order last week seeking to end the practice of family separation.
Over the past few days the Democratic Party has appeared split on the idea of doing away with the agency entirely. For instance, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., said the proposal isn’t one that makes sense at the moment.
“I think if you abolish ICE as it is, an executive agency, it reflects the policies of the White House — of the president,” Duckworth told CNN over the weekend.
The White House has maintained strong defense of ICE, with the president telling viewers during his weekend Fox News appearance, “you get rid of ICE, you’re going to have a country that you’re going to be afraid to walk out of your house.”
