Politicology The ICE Blowback—The Weekly
Feb 6, 2026
Jeh Johnson, former Secretary of Homeland Security and DoD counsel, offers concise, seasoned perspective. He discusses how deterrence and perception can quickly cut border crossings. He contrasts border dynamics with interior enforcement and warns that quota-driven ICE tactics erode local cooperation. He highlights accountability, warrants, and why agency leadership and targeted reforms matter.
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Perception Drives Short-Term Border Fluctuations
- Illegal border crossings react sharply to perceived enforcement changes and can drop or spike quickly.
- Long-term trends revert based on persistent push factors like violence and poverty in source countries.
Fix Root Causes, Not Just The Border
- Addressing root causes in source countries is the longer-term solution to migration pressure.
- Invest in reducing violence, poverty, and climate-driven crises to change migration trends.
Local Cooperation Is Central To Removals
- Deporting the 'worst of the worst' works best when federal and local law enforcement cooperate.
- When ICE becomes toxic, local governments refuse to cooperate and removals become harder.