ICE a ‘terrorist force,’ says U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, of Seattle, in Spokane visit

Democratic Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal labeled ICE a “terrorist force” ahead of a Monday night town hall.

The top Democrat on the House of Representatives immigration subcommittee, Jayapal spent Monday meeting with local immigrants and business owners impacted by ICE raids.

“ICE is acting like a terrorist force. I never thought I’d see a day where people were being kidnapped and disappeared by masked men,” she said after an immigrant roundtable, which was privately held so that immigrants who fear ICE retaliation could speak freely.

The Seattle representative noted this fear is apparent among immigrants with legal status as much as undocumented immigrants.

“People are just feeling fear and resignation,” she said when asked what she heard. “I heard this fear that members of this community feel they can’t go out of their homes and resignation that there is nothing they can do because it is the federal government.”

According to Jayapal, one restaurant owner at the event said ICE waited outside his building for hours to arrest two employees off the street. In the wake of this incident, it has been difficult for employees to feel safe to work and for patrons to eat there.

“It is heartbreaking to hear how terrorized our immigrant communities are feeling and how much this affects the local businesses, the farmers, the workers, the students, families, the economy, everything,” she said.

Monday night, Jayapal addressed approximately 100 Spokane County Democratic Party faithful. The crowd and congresswoman railed against the Trump administration and planned an agenda for when Democrats return to power.

Jayapal labeled President Donald Trump an “authoritarian,” saying he ignores court orders and the rule of law. The Democrats in attendance roared in approval when an audience member said Trump should be put in jail.

“My biggest fear is that there isn’t going to be any more elections,” Robyn Way said. While living in her retirement community on the South Hill, Way fears ICE may raid the retirees to arrest some of her immigrant neighbors .

Jayapal said Democrats must put further checks on the executive once they return to power. They can no longer count on Republicans to contain Trump in any way. But in the meantime, the congresswoman admitted elected Democrats had few ways to constrain the President.

Immigrants with legal asylum claims or are otherwise in the legal system are in a “catch-22,” she said. Those who attend their court proceedings are arrested and deported. Those who do not attend are “absconders” who have violated immigration law.

“It is like they are just saying they will tell you if you are guilty or not. There’s no scales of justice. There’s no due process,” she said.

According to Jayapal, the only constraint on Trump is nonviolent protest, which she encouraged the Democrats there to do.

“I’ve seen ICE come to a home, and I’ve watched community members encircle the home and refuse to move and refuse to allow them in, and ICE goes away,” she said. “So it really matters. It really matters what you do to prevent people from being deported, and it really matters what you do to lift up the best of who we are in this country. They have hate, we have love.”