Senate Dems Need to Hold the Line

to stop "jack-botted thugs" from running rampant

Author

Joe is Wypoxic
February 06, 2026

This today from the Chicago Tribune:

Homeland Security shutdown grows more likely as Republicans rebuff Democrats’ ICE demands

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Thursday that demands made by Democrats for new restrictions on federal immigration officers are “unrealistic.”

www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/05/homeland-security-shutdown

As one of my favorites - Radley Balko - points out, what Thune says is “unrealistic” is mostly just following the law:

With a few exceptions, the items in this list are already the law. Republicans are saying it’s unrealistic for Trump’s goons to follow the law.

— Radley Balko (@radleybalko.bsky.social)2026-02-05T22:27:00.386Z

I’m more convinced now that Senate Dems need to hold the line. Let Republicans explain why they are letting funding lapse for TSA, Coast Guard, FEMA, the Secret Service and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) in defense of the “jack-booted thugs” of ICE and CBP.

The right has used the visual of “jack booted thugs” against the government whenever they deemed there was overreach they didn’t like, primarily aimed at the same FBI, federal law enforcement agencies and ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco and firearms) that are menacing our residents in cities across America as we speak.

Plus, I like what Simon Rosenberg is saying here. People actually want criminals removed from our midst; but they viscerally object to what they are seeing right now with ICWE/CBP:

In a new post I argue we need to make "narrowing the targets" central to our rein-in-ICE narrative. Americans want ICE to go after criminals and leave the rest of us alone. End the violence. End the lawlessness. Narrow the targets. Post, lots of data 👇 www.hopiumchronicles.com/p/americans-...

— Simon Rosenberg (@simonwdc.bsky.social)2026-02-06T16:51:33.161Z

Turn the tables. This is a no brainer. Using “jack-booted thugs” is an easy shorthand for government fascism without having to explain in detail. Plus, we are winning the information battle on ICE/CBP. Make Senate Republicans play an “away game”. If you're playing defense, you’re not playing offense (more sports analogies - I must have this weekend’s Super Bowl on my mind even though I couldn’t give a hoot who wins).

Turn. The. Tables.

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