UE: Militarized Immigration Enforcement Incompatible With Democracy
MSCC Editor’s Note, John Mudd, Feb 4, 2026
Allowing the UE Union this space to comment, but note: You cannot despute that having a Millitarized Immigration Enforcement is incompatible with democracy; however, to imply we had or have a democracy is ludicrous. We cannot correct the problem if we continue to delude ourselves.
UE Statement…
As we know from the history of resistance to authoritarian regimes in other countries, the labor movement, with our ability to stop work, has a special role to play alongside mass protests in the streets. On January 23, the labor movement in Minnesota did precisely that, leading a day of “no work, no school, no shopping” which saw tens of thousands of working people gathering in subzero temperatures to demand ICE leave the state. If our country continues to slide towards authoritarianism, more such actions will be necessary.
ICE is not a hallowed American institution. It was created less than 25 years ago, as part of the militarization of immigration enforcement during George W. Bush’s “War on Terror.” An unaccountable private army of the executive is not necessary to carry out any kind of humane immigration policy, and it is incompatible with democracy and freedom.
We join UE Local 1105 in demanding that the agents who killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti be held legally accountable. We reiterate the demand, made by rank-and-file delegates at the most recent UE convention, for “the complete abolition of all ICE operations.” Furthermore, we join our close ally National Nurses United in calling for a no vote on the Homeland Security Appropriations bill that is up for Senate approval this week and demanding that Congress abolish ICE entirely. We affirm the statement made by the UE officers in June denouncing “the unconscionable use of the U.S. military against our own people” and warning that “if we wish to preserve our democratic freedoms, working people will have to be prepared to defend them through action in the streets, in our workplaces, and at the ballot box.”