This is The Way:
First, let’s step back and take a look at how we got here.
The Department of Homeland Security is a relatively new federal government agency. It was created in 2002 after the 9/11 attacks.
The creation of DHS consolidated sone or all of 22 agencies that performed a range of functions, including FEMA, TSA, the Coast Guard, Customs, Secret Service, INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Federal Protective Service, General Law enforcement Training Center, Office for Domestics Preparedness, Federal Computer Incident Response Center, National Communications System and others.
Although the memory of 9/11 was fresh, and the public was clamoring for protection from foreign terrorists, there was still significant congressional opposition to the creation of DHS. Concerns centered around consolidations of power in the Executive branch, increased bureaucracy, labor laws, rights for federal employees and, of course, how to best oversee national security. Ultimately, the political atmosphere following the September 11 attacks - with both parties facing pressure to demonstrate their commitment to protecting the country - resulted in a bipartisan bill passing the House and the Senate.
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In my opinion, the word “Homeland” is a loaded word. And it was not a word that previously had, really, in any way been associated with residents’ views of the United States in which they lived.
Simply put, “Homeland” has been used in the past to evoke nationalism, exclusion, militarization, and authoritarian government. While not inherently part of the formal definition of the Homeland, previous repressive regimes have used the term to stir up fear, hatred and maintain control over its people (yes, Nazi Germany, among others).
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With that context, let’s go back to the opening link of my post.
Rep. Delia Ramirze of Illinois has proposed “reforming” DHS:
Rep. Delia C. Ramirez (D-Illinois) has introduced a bill that would abolish not just ICE, but the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) altogether, repealing the 2002 law establishing the agency and replacing it with one focused on protecting civil and human rights.
The wide-ranging legislation, dubbed the Reimagining Safety Act, would repeal the Homeland Security Act. Signed by President George W. Bush as part of his administration’s post-9/11 “war on terror,” the transformational bill created DHS and led to the establishment of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The bill would abolish DHS, CBP, and ICE — going further than the progressive call to abolish ICE. Other offices currently housed within the department, like Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Coast Guard, Citizenship and Immigration Services, and the customs functions of CBP would be broken off into different authorities.
“We know that DHS was intentionally established with an overbroad mission and unchecked power. The last two years have made it visible what so many communities have actually been saying for decades: That DHS, frankly, is the single greatest threat to our public safety today,” Ramirez said in a press conference previewing the legislation last month. “We must strip away every single tool they are using to terrorize us.”
But “reform “through abolishing DHS and ICE is not enough. Most Americans still favor borders that are, in their view, “secure”, and simply saying one wants to abolish DHS doesn’t fully address the concersn surrounding immigration and national security..
Don’t worry. Rep. Ramirez is on it:
In DHS’s place, Ramirez’s bill would create a cabinet-level “Department of Community Safety,” which would address community concerns ranging from gun violence to disaster relief, using a public health-based approach. All immigration detention centers would be shuttered.
DHS (and ICE) have become tools of repression by the Trump regime. Democrats challenge is not just to help people understand this (it is getting through), but also to reframe the debate (and wording) around national security and immigration.
Rep. Ramirez’ bill is a good start. No, it won’t become law right away (even if Dems win both the House and Senate, Trump still have veto power). It is the first attack in the war to redefine patriotism and nationalism in America.
The Democratic establishment needs to get on board…
