Juan Williams argues that Democrats should convert public outrage over ICE abuses into targeted oversight and legal reform rather than rely on sweeping slogans. He highlights the killing of Renee Good, notes ICE’s expanded budget and presence under Secretary Kristi Noem, and warns that calls to "Abolish ICE" can be politically counterproductive. Williams urges congressional hearings, limits on immunity for federal agents, and careful use of budget leverage to demand accountability.
From Outrage to Oversight: How Democrats Should Respond to Trump’s ICE Expansion
More than five years after the backlash over the slogan "Defund the Police," Democrats continue to feel its political effects. Conservative media weaponized that phrase to portray Democrats as soft on crime — and now pro-Trump outlets are pushing a new rallying cry, "Abolish ICE," in hopes of turning calls for reform into a political liability.
Third Way, a center-left think tank in Washington, warns that slogans like this can be politically damaging even when they grow out of real outrage. As the memo put it: “The impulse is emotional. The slogan is simple. But politically, it is lethal.” The group urges a more precise approach: abolish abuses, not ICE.
Beyond rhetoric, there is profound public anger over the killing of Renee Good, an unarmed Minnesota woman shot by an ICE agent. At the White House briefing, a reporter asked why Good died; the answer given bluntly blamed reckless action by an ICE agent. That outrage comes as the agency has expanded substantially under Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, with funding now rivaling or exceeding that of the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Why This Matters
The Trump administration’s expansion of ICE and its visible deployments in American cities have raised concerns about the normalization of armed federal agents on local streets. Critics also point to the administration’s willingness to threaten the use of the Insurrection Act and to employ military force abroad in ways that some say exceed legal and institutional norms. These trends have intensified calls for accountability and clearer legal limits on federal enforcement powers.
A Practical To-Do List For Democrats
What concrete steps can congressional Democrats take to channel public outrage into meaningful oversight and reform? Below are practical options that preserve law enforcement where needed while pushing back against abuse.
- Ramp Up Congressional Oversight. Increase hearings and reporting requirements for ICE operations, spending, use-of-force incidents, and deployment decisions. Demand detailed, public briefings on recent actions and budgets.
- Summon Top Officials. Call Secretary Kristi Noem to testify publicly and require detailed explanations of operational priorities and budget increases. If Noem refuses oversight, press the case with GOP colleagues for accountability measures up to impeachment inquiry where legally warranted.
- Hold the Vice President Accountable. Invite Vice President J.D. Vance to testify about his claim that ICE agents enjoy “absolute immunity” in lethal encounters. Clarify the difference between qualified immunity (a doctrine aimed primarily at state and local officers) and protections that federal agents may assert.
- Clarify Legal Protections and Accountability. Draft legislation to limit or clarify the application of immunity doctrines to federal immigration agents and to make it easier to hold agents accountable for egregious misconduct.
- Use Budget Leverage Carefully. With a government funding deadline approaching, Democratic leaders should weigh targeted budget pressure as leverage for meaningful reforms — but balance the political risks of a shutdown against the moral urgency posed by civilian deaths at the hands of federal agents.
- Support Local Leaders. Back mayors and governors who object to mass federal deployments that they say undermine public safety, and prioritize community-centered enforcement strategies that protect public safety without escalating violence.
Closing
Democrats are a minority in both chambers, but they still have tools to force transparency and accountability. The goal should be to channel public outrage into durable policy and legal reforms that protect communities and preserve lawful immigration enforcement. As the nation approaches its 250th anniversary, John Adams’ warning rings with renewed urgency: “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
President Trump’s remark that his only limit is "my morality" underscores the stakes: elected officials and the public must insist on constitutional checks and legal accountability. The killing of Renee Good should prompt focused oversight, clearer legal standards, and a political strategy that emphasizes accountability over slogans.
Juan Williams is a senior political analyst for Fox News Channel and a civil-rights historian. He is the author of the new book New Prize for These Eyes: The Rise of America’s Second Civil Rights Movement.
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