Since first established in 2003, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has faced opposition for the repeated human rights abuses toward undocumented immigrants in its detention facilities, as well as its tactics for apprehending undocumented immigrants for deportation—some of whom have been here for decades.
For years, the agency has kept immigrants in unsafe and unsanitary conditions, overseen the separation of children and parents, and concealed outbreaks of the viral pathogen that's killed 600 thousand Americans.
Like countless other entities, ICE rolled out a tweet supporting its LGBTQ employees for LGBTQ Pride month.
During #PrideMonth, we recognize our #LGBTQ+ employees, reflect on the trials that their community has endured and rejoice with them in the triumphs of those who have bravely fought \u2014 and continue to fight \u2014 for full equality.pic.twitter.com/PrfR5phoOm— ICE (@ICE) 1623849911
While the Pride message focused on ICE's LGBTQ employees, the agency has routinely ignored the violence and atrocities committed against its LGBTQ prisoners.
LGBTQ immigrants in ICE detention centers—especially trans immigrants—are 97 times more likely to face sexual abuse than their fellow detainees. In 2017, 0.14 percent of ICE detainees self-identified as LGBTQ, but they accounted for 12 percent of sexual assault victims in these facilities.
ICE has frequently put trans women immigrants into men's detention facilities, or put them in solitary confinement for extended periods of time. One trans woman died in ICE custody, and officials deleted video footage of her to cover its tracks. It's also frequently denied medication to HIV positive detainees.
The agency's routine indifference to the trauma of its LGBTQ detainees, and its repeated assault on the human rights of immigrants made its Pride message hollow at best and offensive at worst.
You are a trial & tribulation that our community is still enduring.https://twitter.com/ICEgov/status/1405154490890731520\u00a0\u2026— Erica Buddington \u2728 (@Erica Buddington \u2728) 1623902041
As a proud gay grandson of immigrants from Costa Rica and Guatemala: #AbolishICE.https://twitter.com/ICEgov/status/1405154490890731520\u00a0\u2026— Chris Sosa (@Chris Sosa) 1623893160
fitting that it looks like you wrote this in blood!https://twitter.com/ICEgov/status/1405154490890731520\u00a0\u2026— JP (@JP) 1623858394
Stop murdering trans women in your custody you absolute ghoulshttps://twitter.com/icegov/status/1405154490890731520\u00a0\u2026— Evan Greer (@Evan Greer) 1623858991
happy pride!! *deports you* *deports you* *deports you* *deports you* *deports you* *deports you* *deports you* *deports you* *deports you* *deports you* *deports you* *deports you* *deports you* *deports you* *deports you* *deports you* *deports you* *deports you* *deports you*https://twitter.com/ICEgov/status/1405154490890731520\u00a0\u2026— bun!!!! (@bun!!!!) 1623948012
People quickly brought receipts on the agency's atrocities.
pic.twitter.com/WitryFDNGH— \ud83c\udf19 J\u03b1\u0282\u0271\u03b9\u0273 - 5\ufe0f\u20e31\ufe0f\u20e3 days (@\ud83c\udf19 J\u03b1\u0282\u0271\u03b9\u0273 - 5\ufe0f\u20e31\ufe0f\u20e3 days) 1623855245
Y\u2019all LITERALLY withhold HIV meds from detainees and don\u2019t honor people\u2019s gender identities thus forcing them to face even more violence.https://twitter.com/icegov/status/1405154490890731520\u00a0\u2026— Zach Stafford (@Zach Stafford) 1623860000
this you? https://twitter.com/icegov/status/1405154490890731520\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/svErujBdPQ— D (@D) 1623865939
This you?pic.twitter.com/Yg5hBFfpHt— Ari Drennen (@Ari Drennen) 1623859422
There are growing calls for ICE to be abolished.
