What Next | Daily News and Analysis No Really, Abolish ICE
17 snips
Feb 12, 2026 
Garrett Graff, journalist and historian who writes on national security and policing, breaks down DHS, ICE, and CBP trends. He discusses heated Capitol Hill hearings and the limits of congressional leverage. He questions militarization of immigration officers and describes how detention practices have grown punitive. He traces long patterns of CBP misconduct and highlights local resistance and risks from a hiring surge.
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DHS Funding Won't Fully Halt Enforcement
- Funding DHS may not stop ICE and CBP operations because enforcement has built-in funding and momentum.
- Garrett M. Graff argues a DHS shutdown won't meaningfully change frontline immigration enforcement outcomes.
Masks Fuel A Culture Of Impunity
- Masking by ICE and CBP fosters a culture of impunity and detachment from accountability.
- Removing masks would likely change officer behavior and make identification and prosecution easier.
Civil Process Turned Punitive
- Immigration is principally a civil matter, not criminal, yet ICE is treating detention facilities like punishment prisons.
- Graff warns this shift undermines legal process and forces coerced deportations and court-order violations.
