Courage. That is what it takes these days for a Democrat to speak plain truth about the previous administration’s failures, even while criticizing the current one.
Senator Mark Warner of Virginia found himself in that uncomfortable position this week, admitting on national television that the Biden administration “screwed up” when it came to securing America’s southern border. Yet in the same breath, the senator raised concerns about how the Trump administration is now handling immigration enforcement.
The issue at hand centers on cooperation between local law enforcement and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Warner was responding to questions about whether he supports a move by Virginia Representative Abigail Spanberger to end state law enforcement collaboration with ICE in capturing illegal immigrants with criminal records.
Warner pointed to statistics showing that 75% of people arrested by ICE in Virginia have no criminal record beyond their illegal entry into the United States. This, he argued, contradicts the federal government’s stated priority of targeting the “worst of the worst” in carrying out President Trump’s mass deportation agenda.
“They may have come across illegally into our country, but 75% of the people to have been arrested have no further criminal record,” Warner stated.
When pressed on whether Virginia should at least cooperate with ICE regarding individuals who do have criminal records, Warner acknowledged the previous administration’s border failures before pivoting to criticize current enforcement methods.
“Let’s potentially work on those who have criminal records,” he said. “But that is different than what’s happening right now, and the Biden administration screwed up the border, I’ll be the first to acknowledge that, but the idea of masked ICE agents picking up moms dropping off their kids, folks going to work and, as we’ve seen at least in the circumstance in Minnesota, sometimes where kids are being left in the car after their parents that may or may not have been actually criminals are being picked up.”
The senator continued, arguing for what he called a “collaborative effort” between local and federal authorities. He suggested that based on recent incidents in Minnesota, there appears to be virtually no collaboration between local law enforcement and ICE, which he attributes to ICE tactics.
These remarks come against the backdrop of growing tensions over immigration enforcement methods. Earlier this month in Minneapolis, an incident involving an ICE agent and a U.S. citizen resulted in a fatal shooting that has sparked protests and calls for investigation.
The situation presents a political tightrope for Democrats like Warner. On one hand, acknowledging the Biden administration’s border failures represents a rare moment of candor from the party that spent years defending those policies. On the other hand, criticizing the Trump administration’s enforcement methods allows Democrats to maintain their opposition stance while attempting to draw distinctions between illegal entry and subsequent criminal behavior.
The fundamental question remains unanswered. If 75% of those arrested have no criminal record beyond illegal entry, does that represent mission creep in enforcement, or simply the reality of enforcing immigration law? And if the previous administration indeed failed at border security, as Warner now admits, what is the appropriate remedy?
These are the questions that deserve straight answers, not political posturing from either side of the aisle.
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