‘Agencies like ICE should operate with transparency, accountability and respect for the constitution.’

Andre Avila-Sotelo, 19, is a second-year criminal justice student at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Avila-Sotelo was born in America but is of Mexican descent. While the actions of ICE agents have not directly affected him, he has been impacted by them — people within his community have been wrongfully targeted and mistreated.

Josie Quirke: What do you think the role of ICE should be in America? Should the organization be in America? 

Andre Avila-Sotelo: If ICE is going to exist in America, its role should be focused on serious criminal investigations and enforcing immigration laws in a fair and lawful way. ICE was created under the Department of Homeland Security and is responsible for enforcing immigration laws and investigating crimes such as human trafficking, drug trafficking and other forms of transnational crime. With this, the organization could have a role in protecting public safety.  

Quirke: What do you think about the Trump administration sending ICE officers to American cities?  

Avila-Sotelo: I think that the President is incorrectly using ICE. Yes, his mission is said to be to ramp up arrests of illegal criminals such as murderers or rapists. But the pressure to reach high arrest numbers has led to broader enforcement where many people are detained, many of whom do not pose a threat to public safety. In my opinion, this creates problems because people are being detained without having a fair chance to go through proper legal processes. These individuals should still have access to due process, contact with their families and access to an attorney, since these protections are important parts of the U.S. Constitution.

Quirke: What has been different about other president’s control over ICE officers compared to the current administration?  

Avila-Sotelo:  The Obama administration prioritized immigration enforcement on individuals who committed serious crimes or who were considered threats to public safety. Their focus was generally on deporting individuals with criminal convictions (felons) who were already in jail rather than targeting large numbers of people without criminal records (families).

Quirke: The main mission of ICE is stated to be “Protect America through criminal investigations and enforcing immigration laws to preserve national security and public safety.” Do you think that ICE is abiding by this mission? If yes, why? If not, why?  

Avila-Sotelo: No, I don’t think ICE is abiding by this mission. While their goal is supposed to be protecting public safety and enforcing immigration laws, many of their actions have proved otherwise and have raised concerns about violating our constitutional rights. Agencies like ICE should operate with transparency, accountability and respect for the constitution.

Quirke: ICE’s enforcement of the law is heavily questioned by many people. What are your opinions about ICE’s agent’s actions?  

Avila-Sotelo: I believe that their actions should continue to be questioned and closely monitored as these operations continue to occur. ICE agents aren’t doing their job the right way, and when that happens, it should be addressed. Like any law enforcement agency, they should be held accountable, and their actions must be reviewed to make sure the law is still being followed.