American security before politics

Liberal extremists are taking their open borders strategies to new lengths with their latest rally cry to eliminate the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE). Extremist calls to "abolish ICE" -- sometimes without even understanding what the brave men and women who enforce U.S. immigration laws do -- should send shivers down the spines of Americans everywhere.

The men and women of ICE work within the Department of Homeland Security and are responsible for removing public safety threats from the country. These include criminal aliens, violent gang members like MS-13, and people who have violated our nation's immigration laws. ICE stops criminals from moving weapons, drugs and sex trafficking victims across the United States border. They pursue criminals and terrorists involved in cybercrime, identity fraud and financial crimes. In 2017 alone ICE identified and removed 226,119 of these criminals from our country.

To everyday Americans this is a proper, responsible function of government to protect its citizens and provide safety and security. But to the increasingly liberal left, ICE has become the latest target for resistance to any sort of border security or enforcement of immigration laws.

In February, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf illegally tweeted a warning to criminals in her community to be on the lookout for ICE officers on patrol. ICE Chief Thomas Homan said her actions as a public official were "no better than a gang lookout yelling "police" when a police cruiser comes in the neighborhood." Taking it a step further, obstructionists have introduced a bill in Congress to eliminate Immigration and Customs Enforcement altogether. The radicals have declared they "don't believe in borders." Borders aren't just something you believe in or dream up; they are absolutely necessary for maintaining a sovereign nation and vital to controlling what is coming in and out of the country.

While the opioid epidemic is ravaging communities across the heartland, it's ridiculous to "not believe" in controlling what people and substances flow into the country. Every public official or candidate who calls to "abolish ICE" is pushing a reckless, radical policy that would endanger Americans for no other reason than to play identity politics and score cheap political points. When added together, their platform of "catch-and-release" policies, sanctuary cities, and abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement would mean effectively open borders, and that is unacceptable.

First and foremost, we have to build a wall and secure the southern border. Without a wall, we will never stop the illegal immigration and smuggling taking place every day. Congress should pass my bill to defund sanctuary cities that openly flaunt their violations of federal law. And ICE? We have to put the extremists' plans on freeze.

Ensuring the safety and security of the people is the single greatest responsibility for elected officials. President Trump and I know this, and that's why we want a secure border and an immigration system based on the rule of law. In their latest call to abolish ICE, out-of-touch liberals seem to have forgotten about this responsibility.

Jason Smith is a member of Congress representing Missouri's Eighth Congressional District.