White House Defends ICE Amid Renewed Calls From AOC to Dismantle Agency Tasked With Deporting Violent Criminals

By: Fern Sidman

The White House issued a blistering rebuke this week of calls by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) to abolish the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), calling her stance dangerous and detached from the violent reality that many American communities face due to criminal illegal immigrants. The statement came from White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson, who praised ICE agents for their role in protecting Americans while condemning what she described as radical efforts to dismantle law enforcement agencies.

“AOC, Democrat Party leader, calls for abolishing ICE. Meanwhile, the brave men and women of ICE get dangerous criminal illegal immigrants off our streets and protect American citizens,” Jackson said. “Why does AOC want to stop that?”

As the Biden-era Democratic Party continues to fracture along ideological lines, the divide between progressives such as Ocasio-Cortez and law-and-order conservatives has never been more pronounced. The latest debate centers on ICE, a federal agency created in 2003 in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, charged with enforcing immigration laws and removing criminal aliens from U.S. soil.

According to Jackson and Trump administration allies, ICE remains on the front lines of a vital national mission: deporting violent offenders, including murderers, rapists, and gang members who have no legal right to remain in the United States. The White House contends that abolishing ICE—a proposal championed by Ocasio-Cortez and other members of the progressive “Squad”—would effectively give criminal aliens a free pass to roam American streets with impunity.

“While President Donald J. Trump, his administration, and the heroes of ICE work overtime to rid our country of criminal illegal immigrant killers, rapists, and gangbangers,” Jackson stated, “top Democrats are doubling down on their call to eliminate the agency responsible for getting these animals off our streets.”

In an earlier interview, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez reiterated her belief that ICE is a “rogue agency.” “I believe that ICE, an agency that was just formed in 2003 during the Patriot Act era, is a rogue agency that should not exist,” she said, echoing the sentiments of far-left activists who have long argued that immigration enforcement is inherently abusive.

Yet critics argue her position ignores the very real and present dangers posed by criminal aliens, particularly in sanctuary cities like New York, where local officials often refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. “Where is the congresswoman’s concern for her fellow New Yorkers who have been brutally killed, maimed, and raped by criminal illegal immigrants allowed to roam free due to New York’s so-called ‘sanctuary’ policies?” Jackson asked.

Recent arrests by ICE in New York, compiled by federal immigration authorities, highlight the severity of the threat:

Julian Lema Bravo, an Ecuadorian national, was convicted of raping a victim under 15 years old.

Luis Alejandro Castillo-Torres, a Venezuelan and alleged Tren de Aragua gang member, was convicted of felony assault and had additional arrests for robbery, assault, and weapons charges.

Kervin Broderick Davis, a Jamaican national and registered sex offender, was convicted of first-degree sexual assault.

Tanya Campbell, another Jamaican national, was convicted of first-degree manslaughter.

Sayanam Ghimire, from Nepal, was convicted of attempted sexual abuse of a child under 13.

Litzy Janel Saavedra, a Mexican national, was convicted of felony rape.

Surjit Singh, an Indian national ordered removed in 2007, was recently convicted of third-degree assault with intent to injure.

Jonathan Cortez Vasquez, from El Salvador, was convicted of criminal contempt and child endangerment.

Roxana Ofelia Pinto-Quijada, a Venezuelan, was convicted of grand theft.

Each of these individuals had either violated U.S. laws in horrific ways or were known threats to public safety—and each was apprehended by ICE agents who risk their lives daily, often without local cooperation in sanctuary jurisdictions.

Ocasio-Cortez has not responded directly to the White House’s latest criticism, but her office has reiterated her view that ICE should be dismantled in favor of a more “humane” immigration system. However, public support for immigration enforcement remains strong, particularly among Americans concerned about rising violent crime and illegal border crossings.

A recent Pew Research poll found that 63% of Americans believe ICE plays an important role in national security. Many point to the record-breaking surge in illegal border crossings, the proliferation of international criminal syndicates like MS-13 and Tren de Aragua, and the increase in fentanyl trafficking as reasons to bolster, not abolish, ICE.

“People need to understand what ICE actually does,” one former senior DHS official said. “We’re not talking about rounding up undocumented families here. We’re talking about taking convicted sex offenders and murderers out of our neighborhoods.”

The broader context of this debate underscores the ongoing tension between national security and progressive ideology. While Ocasio-Cortez and her allies frame ICE as a symbol of systemic injustice, the Trump administration—and now many American voters—see the agency as an indispensable bulwark against chaos and crime.

As Abigail Jackson concluded, “The American people deserve to know the truth. ICE isn’t the problem. Criminal illegal aliens are. And the people calling to abolish ICE need to explain why they’re more concerned with protecting criminals than American families.”