The growing presence of Black immigration and enforcement (ICE) agents in U.S. airports is stirring up trouble online. But as President Donald Trump continues to deploy agents to address chaos caused by the partial government shutdown, Black folks online are way more concerned about the message he’s trying to send.
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“Seeing Black ICE agents doesn’t sit right with my spirit,” @covie_93 said on X.
We previously told you hundreds of TSA workers have gone without work– and thousands without pay– after Congress has repeatedly failed to agree to fund the Department of Homeland Security. Trump’s solution to this? Send in ICE to 14 of the busiest airports for “crowd control.” But while most Black Americans initially criticized the move, now many can’t help but notice a particular increase in Black ICE agents specifically.
“I want to be very clear that it’s still F**K these guys, but it’s very interesting all the Black and brown agents being deployed where they can’t have their faces covered,” @Puff_Iya tweeted.
Trump ordered all agents shouldn’t wear masks while on assignment at national airports this week. Since then, photos and videos of Black maskless agents have flooded the internet.
@jessxvisualdiary pointed out, “We’ve seen white masked agents for over a year slamming people down in the street, shooting people, killing American citizens and not one of these ICE agents in any of these videos has been Black… seems to be very intentional.”
According to an ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll, the majority of Black Americans disapprove of ICE’s tactics under Trump. Still, many Black folks like @DAQUANDSG defended Black agents. He asked, “So now Black people aren’t allowed to be cops or ice agents. Any other jobs that’ll revoke our black cards?”
As debates grow, most skeptical users believe this is all part of the president’s tactic. “This is what we mean when we say all skin folk ain’t kinfolk,” @theexecutivetea_ said on TikTok. “I know things are rough but out of all the government jobs y’all could get as people of color? Y’all couldn’t pick something else?”
Some people were able to empathize with Black ICE officers, however… But certainly not rapper Plies, who said he’s not having any of it! He took to X sharing his reaction to an agent offering him water while at the airport. “N**** I don’t want none of your muthaf*****g water,” he said passionately. “TSA ain’t getting muthaf*****g paid and all you doing is passing out muthaf*****g water?!”
It’s important to note Black folks disproportionately make up 16 percent of all DHS employees. It’s unclear exactly how many Black Americans are part of ICE, but if you ask folks like @jasonisthelegend on TikTok, one Black agent is way too many.
“I think being a Black person working for ICE is like a Black person working for the KKK,” he declared. Meanwhile, Congress has yet to pass a funding bill to end the six-week pause to fund TSA, ICE, FEMA and all other agencies under DHS. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have been fired citing Trump’s constant blitz to the government and the now two-and-a-half government shutdowns we’ve experienced in just over a year.
Times are tough, sure, but you can’t count on many Black Americans to support their peers signing up to join ICE. “We’re in a moment of massive job loss and rising costs, and when people can’t afford to live, the government doesn’t have to force you to do anything,” @kenan_jerome said. “All they need to do is offer you a job. Because I guess blood money is better than no money.”
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