I want to say something directly to ICE agents and their families, because if we’re serious about truth and justice, we have to be serious about human beings, too.

If you’re an ICE family reading this: I can’t imagine what it feels like right now.

There are thousands of agents deployed across the country, interacting with the public constantly, and every interaction is now in a phone camera era. That means we’re seeing a lot of incidents, but we’re also probably seeing a tiny slice of the total number of contacts happening every day.

And that matters, because it’s easy for Americans to slip into sweeping statements like “ICE is evil” or “all ICE are thugs.” I don’t think that’s true, and I don’t think it’s helpful.

If you’ve ever worked in any large institution, police, military, hospitals, schools, you know the truth:

Most people are just trying to do their job.
Some are excellent and disciplined.
Some are reckless.
And a small number are dangerous.

That’s reality, not politics.

Also: border enforcement is not a fake issue. Illegal immigration includes real harm. There are absolutely people who shouldn’t be here, people who have committed violence, exploitation, theft, and worse. Removing dangerous offenders is a legitimate public safety goal. Most Americans agree on that.

So what are we actually arguing about?

We’re arguing about methods and accountability.
We’re arguing about masks and identification.
We’re arguing about racial profiling and mistaken identity.
We’re arguing about entering homes without a judge’s warrant.
We’re arguing about what happens when something goes wrong, who investigates, how transparent it is, and whether the public is told the truth.

And here’s the key point: front-line behavior reflects leadership.

When leaders, DHS, Border Patrol leadership, and the President, rush out statements that sound like a verdict before the facts are gathered, it doesn’t just inflame the public. It also puts good agents in a worse position. It tells the worst actors, “You’ll be protected,” and it tells the conscientious ones, “Keep your head down.”

That’s how institutions degrade: not just through bad individuals, but through incentives and permission structures set from the top.

To the public: if you want to protest, protest peacefully. Throwing rocks, bottles, spitting, or trying to provoke confrontations is wrong, morally, legally, and strategically. If we want to distinguish ourselves from the worst instincts in this country, we do it by being disciplined.

To ICE agents: if you’re one of the people trying to do the job with restraint, professionalism, and respect for the Constitution, you’re not my enemy. I want you safe. I want you to go home. And I want you to have leadership that doesn’t put you in impossible situations or use you as political theater.

This is the lane EDW is trying to hold:
Enforcement + constitutional limits.
Safety + accountability.
Facts first + dignity for human beings.

If you think we need more of this tone in America, please share this. And if you want evidence-first writing that tries to reach both sides without surrendering principles, follow Executive Dysfunction Weekly (EDW).