Florida Democratic Senate candidate Angie Nixon has compared Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to “modern-day slave catchers” and called the agency a “weaponized paramilitary force,” sharpening her calls to abolish ICE as she campaigns for the U.S. Senate.
Ms. Nixon, a state representative and member of the Democratic Socialists of America, has repeatedly attacked the federal immigration agency and its officers, referring to agents as “THUGS” and “kidnappers” and describing immigration detention facilities as a “modern day concentration camp,” according to a compilation of her remarks published Thursday.
Ms. Nixon is challenging Republican Sen. Ashley Moody of Florida.
The Democrat has made abolishing ICE a prominent part of her immigration platform, calling it a “moral choice” and accusing the agency of terrorizing communities and operating without sufficient transparency. She has separately characterized immigration enforcement as “state-sanctioned violence.”
“We don’t need ICE,” Ms. Nixon said in one appearance. She argued that the agency, which was created in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks as part of the newly established Department of Homeland Security, was initially used to target Muslims and has since “morphed into this agency that goes after immigrants, that demonizes immigrants.”
Ms. Nixon has also warned that aggressive immigration enforcement could lead to violent confrontations in Florida, a state with a “stand your ground” law.
“We are a stand your ground state,” she said. “I am concerned that some ICE officials might be shot.”
In another appearance, Ms. Nixon predicted that ICE officers would racially profile Black Americans and said federal officials who engage in misconduct should face investigations and possible prosecution.
“They are going to racially profile us, and they are going to escalate things and they are going to shoot and kill us,” she said, arguing that elected officials should scrutinize the agency and “go after bad actors.”
Her criticism has extended beyond ICE to Republicans more broadly. Discussing immigration enforcement in an interview circulated by the Republican National Committee, Ms. Nixon rejected the idea that she should seek bipartisan cooperation.
“They are not trying to work across the aisle,” she said of Republicans. “They are literally trying to kill us, and they are doing it on camera.”
Republicans have seized on the comments as Ms. Nixon seeks to unseat Ms. Moody.
RNC spokeswoman Emma Hall accused Ms. Nixon of vilifying officers who arrest violent criminals and said Florida voters deserve policies that prioritize public safety. Ms. Hall also criticized Ms. Nixon’s support for abolishing ICE and accused her of favoring mass amnesty.
The criticism comes as immigration enforcement remains a major political issue in Florida and nationally. The Department of Homeland Security has publicized a series of arrests and detainers involving illegal immigrants in Florida who have been accused or convicted of crimes ranging from drug trafficking and aggravated battery to homicide and sexual battery.
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