i hate to be a "historian here" ass bitch but i'm gonna. I'm a historian of US immigration and citizenship law, and i have a lot of thoughts on not only the ICE abductions but some of the popular liberal responses to them. 1/x
during the Palmer Raids of the 1920s, US AG J. Mitchell Palmer targeted for denaturalization and deportation "political radicals" (communists, labor organizers, etc). Most famous was Emma Goldman. 2/x
that's the closest we've ever gotten to a law of exile. but denaturalization proceedings are administrative, so not in court (by default; you could file habeas petitions). all of this has always happened behind closed doors. 3/x
deportation and denaturalization have ALWAYS been civil and not criminal procedures. that means that the bill of rights has NEVER applied. this includes the rights to an attorney and a fair/speedy/public trial. 4/x
i'm not saying this to be like "calm down this is how it's always been." quite the opposite. i'm saying this because it has Always Been This Bad. this is just another example of how US institutions have always been evil, and you've just been fine with it bc you liked Obama 5/x
"if they can do this to undocumented people and legal permanent residents they can do it to anybody!!!" 1. yes that's what we've been trying to tell you and 2. kidnapping someone and ripping them away from their family has Always Been Evil, regardless of immigration status 6/x
this is why when we say "Abolish ICE" we mean it. ICE has always been a loaded gun pointed at US citizens, but more importantly, its stated mission of deportations without hearings has always been evil. 7/x
your political engagement needs to start kicking in before when you personally are affected. people are suffering under the normal, regular-ass system, and you thinking it's abnormal because now citizens are affected too is too late. 8/x
when we say "Abolish ICE," we mean it. when we say "Abolish the police," we mean it. the systems are not broken. they are operating as intended, and that's bad. start caring earlier. 9/end.
oh also while we're at it Free Palestine.
Men love to be loud and wrong to a woman on the internet. Muting this. Free Palestine, abolish ICE, Black Lives Matter, Land Back. All of it.
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