You Can Quit ICE

In March, James Schwab quit ICE because he didn’t want to repeat his superiors’ distortions of the truth. “I told them that the information was wrong,” he said. “They asked me to deflect, and I didn’t agree with that.”

In April, Jordon Dyrdahl-Roberts quit his post at the Montana Department of Labor rather than help deport undocumented workers.

And a couple weeks ago, Antar Davidson quit ICE when he was told he could not allow sobbing children to hug one another for comfort.

I’m going to a march tomorrow to protest family separation and detention. I can march and give money; but I also want people who are thinking about quitting ICE, Border Patrol, or other agencies to know that there are people out here who will support you. If you quit and are worried about what this means for your family, I promise that I will do everything I can to spread the word, get you financial support, and help you find a new job.

If you think, “Look, these people or their parents broke the law, but we don’t need to lie to them, lie about them, trick them into handing over their children, or punish them for trying to enter the legal process“… you can quit ICE. If you don’t want to be involved in actions targeting battered women or other crime victims… you can quit ICE. If you find yourself thinking, “This is not what I signed up for. Things are changing and it’s getting out of control”… you can quit ICE. People will respect you and help you.

If you are feeling demoralized, you don’t have to give in to anger or depression. Maybe some part of that demoralization is a moral truth trying to be heard. In the words of Oscar Romero, “No soldier is obliged to obey an order contrary to the law of God. No one has to obey an immoral law.” I know the realities of your job are often misunderstood, but there are people out here who will listen to you and take your concerns and needs seriously. If you work for ICE we are praying for you, and we will help you if you want to get out. You do have a choice.