Renee Good's brutal murder by an ICE agent has sparked outrage, but it's not just a shock to many Americans - it's also a symptom of a far more entrenched problem. The US government's immigration system is built on the false premise that non-white immigrants are threats to national security, a notion rooted in racist ideology.
A 2025 Wall Street Journal investigation found at least eight people shot and two killed by ICE agents firing into civilian vehicles since July 2025 alone. This staggering toll is just one piece of evidence for how deeply ingrained systemic racism has become within the agency.
ICE's origins date back to 2003, when it was formed as part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), a department that explicitly equates immigrants with security threats. The agency has been designed from the start to target marginalized communities, and its lack of oversight is eerily reminiscent of slave patrols tasked with hunting down fugitives.
The US immigration system's history is replete with examples of racialized policies, from the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 to the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act, which, despite being labeled as "race-neutral," effectively criminalized increasingly Black and brown immigrants. The 1986 amnesty program coupled with a seven-fold increase in border enforcement under Ronald Reagan set the stage for decades of border violence.
In 1996, Bill Clinton signed the Illegal Immigration Reform and Responsibility Act (IIRIRA), which made deportation easier and more accessible to non-violent offenders. This move has created a system where people are more likely to be deported than granted citizenship, with little regard for due process or human rights.
ICE's own history is marred by racial profiling and racism. The agency has detained US citizens without explanation, including Davino Watson, who was held for 1,273 days despite repeatedly claiming he was a citizen. He never received compensation.
Politicians have attempted to downplay the issue, suggesting that ICE needs better training or pointing fingers at Trump-era funding increases. However, it's clear that the problem lies with the agency itself and its fundamental mission to target marginalized communities.
Defunding or abolishing ICE may seem radical, but it's a necessary step towards dismantling a system built on violence and racism. We need to prioritize human rights over national security concerns and ensure that every person facing deportation has access to a lawyer and fair representation. It's time to move away from a system predicated on fear and intimidation towards one that centers people's humanity.
Renee Good's murder is not an isolated incident, but rather the culmination of decades of systemic racism and oppression within the US immigration system. To truly address this crisis, we must confront our nation's history of racialized policies and work towards a more just and equitable system that values human life above all else.
A 2025 Wall Street Journal investigation found at least eight people shot and two killed by ICE agents firing into civilian vehicles since July 2025 alone. This staggering toll is just one piece of evidence for how deeply ingrained systemic racism has become within the agency.
ICE's origins date back to 2003, when it was formed as part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), a department that explicitly equates immigrants with security threats. The agency has been designed from the start to target marginalized communities, and its lack of oversight is eerily reminiscent of slave patrols tasked with hunting down fugitives.
The US immigration system's history is replete with examples of racialized policies, from the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 to the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act, which, despite being labeled as "race-neutral," effectively criminalized increasingly Black and brown immigrants. The 1986 amnesty program coupled with a seven-fold increase in border enforcement under Ronald Reagan set the stage for decades of border violence.
In 1996, Bill Clinton signed the Illegal Immigration Reform and Responsibility Act (IIRIRA), which made deportation easier and more accessible to non-violent offenders. This move has created a system where people are more likely to be deported than granted citizenship, with little regard for due process or human rights.
ICE's own history is marred by racial profiling and racism. The agency has detained US citizens without explanation, including Davino Watson, who was held for 1,273 days despite repeatedly claiming he was a citizen. He never received compensation.
Politicians have attempted to downplay the issue, suggesting that ICE needs better training or pointing fingers at Trump-era funding increases. However, it's clear that the problem lies with the agency itself and its fundamental mission to target marginalized communities.
Defunding or abolishing ICE may seem radical, but it's a necessary step towards dismantling a system built on violence and racism. We need to prioritize human rights over national security concerns and ensure that every person facing deportation has access to a lawyer and fair representation. It's time to move away from a system predicated on fear and intimidation towards one that centers people's humanity.
Renee Good's murder is not an isolated incident, but rather the culmination of decades of systemic racism and oppression within the US immigration system. To truly address this crisis, we must confront our nation's history of racialized policies and work towards a more just and equitable system that values human life above all else.
This is absolutely insane! Like, how can we even talk about reforming ICE when the entire thing is built on racist ideology? 
I mean, Davino Watson was held for over 1 year without explanation just because of his last name... that's not training, that's systemic racism at its finest! 
And don't even get me started on the Chinese Exclusion Act and all those other racist policies that went into creating this mess. 
We need to defund ICE for sure, but we also need to address the root causes of this system and work towards a more just and equitable immigration reform. 
Like, what's next? Deporting people with brown eyes? 
This is not okay, folks! 
and i'm still trying to wrap my head around how much racism has been embedded into our gov from day one, 2003 was a low point but come on 1882 
and meanwhile politicians are all like "oh its not a big deal" or try to shift the blame 
but no one is really taking responsibility for this mess 
it cant be ignored any longer 
. We can't just keep sweeping this under the rug and expecting everything to magically get better 
. I mean, who needs an agency that's been designed to target marginalized communities from the start? 
The fact that we're still debating this is a clear indication of how far we've fallen in terms of human rights and due process 
.
. We've seen 8+ people shot and 2 killed by ICE agents in 2025 alone! 
. every person facing deportation deserves access to a lawyer and fair representation 
.
.
ICE gotta be stoppin people on the basis of race? how can we even call dat justice? 2025 Wall Street Journal investigation reveal alot of ppl gettin shot & killed by ICE agents since July. dat toll is insane 
defunding or abolishin ICE might sound radical but it's necessary 2 dismantle a system built on violence & racism 
we gotta prioritize human rights over national security concerns & make sure ppl gettin deported got access to lawyer & fair representation 
, not human beings. We need change, big time 