Tom Steyer, a Democratic candidate for California governor, unveiled a controversial plan on Tuesday to combat U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) by proposing to jail its agents.
Steyer, a progressive billionaire, outlined his strategy in a blog post, calling ICE a “violent extremist group” and comparing his approach to law enforcement’s historical fight against organized crime.
Steyer’s five-part plan includes passing stronger legislation to combat racial profiling, appointing a special task force to prosecute crimes at detention facilities, and launching a “Know Your Rights” public awareness campaign. The plan also aims to create a stronger legal defense network to assist immigrants detained by ICE. The most contentious aspect of Steyer’s proposal is to empower the state attorney general to prosecute ICE leadership, holding them accountable through “supervisory liability.”
Steyer’s proposal has sparked immediate backlash, particularly from conservatives. Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton criticized the plan as “far-left extremism,” accusing Steyer of inciting violence against federal agents. Steyer’s plan also faces scrutiny due to his past investments in CoreCivic, a private prison company that operates immigration detention centers. Despite this, Steyer has expressed regret for those investments and distanced himself from his former business ventures.
Steyer’s plan comes amid ongoing debates over immigration policies and the role of federal agencies.
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