ICE Denounced As ‘Rogue Agency’ After Allegedly Torturing Asylum Seekers

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been denounced by a member of Congress after allegations of asylum seekers being tortured surfaced. 

ICE is facing mounting allegations of torturing primarily African asylum seekers to get them to sign their own deportation documents. A coalition of migrant rights groups, including Freedom for Immigrants, Al Otro Lado and Advocates for Immigrants Rights, have now brought allegations to the Department of Homeland Security, but ICE is continuing to operate as a ‘rogue agency’.

President Joe Biden has implemented a 100-day suspension of immigration enforcement. Regardless of this, ICE is reportedly continuing its operations.

ICE reportedly made deportation flights to Haiti on Tuesday morning, February 2, carrying people who did not fit the criteria of ‘threat to public safety,’ which is currently required for deportation. Perhaps the greatest shock in the recent actions of the group was the fact that one person ICE was trying to deport, Paul Pierrilus, a 40-year-old consultant from New York State, had never even been to Haiti and was not a Haitian citizen.

The ability of the group to carry on its questionable deportations has been greatly aided by a Trump-appointed judge in Texas, Drew Tipton, who blocked a suspension of activity. Nonetheless, the judge could not block the guidelines that have been given. The guidelines, which were put in place by the former secretary of homeland security David Pekoske, claim that deportations should only be used on those who are a threat to the public.

ICE is said to not be following these guidelines and, as a result, Congresswoman Mondaire Jones said there is an urgent need to stop the agency.

Black immigrants have been disproportionately targeted and deported by our racist, inhumane immigration system, particularly in recent weeks.

ICE is a rogue agency that must be brought to heel. There is no world in which an agency under the control of the leader of the executive branch should continue to deport people after the president of the United States signed an executive order halting deportations for 100 days.

The National Security Council has yet to respond to the increasing number of flights being conducted by ICE. Given that the suspension issued by Biden will only last 100 days, some may be concerned about the agencies continued activity.