Department of Homeland Security Scraps Trump ICE Union Policy

 

On Tuesday, the Department of Homeland Security scrapped a Trump-era contract that could have allowed a union of deportation officers to stall the implementation of Biden’s immigration policies. A whistleblower complained the contract would grant AFGE National ICE Council 118 “veto authority” over certain policy decisions at ICE. AFGE National ICE Council 118 has thousands of members and has repeatedly endorsed Donald Trump. The contract granted the organization extraordinary powers, and the complaint argued these excess benefits were granted based on their affiliation with Donald Trump. The whistleblower accused Ken Cuccinelli, the DHS official who signed the agreement, of “gross mismanagement, gross waste of government funds and abuse of authority.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security has assured that ICE and the union have been notified the agreement has been disapproved. Ken Cuccinelli has defended his position, arguing the contract was “both legal and good policy for ICE.” The ICE union may still appeal the Department of Homeland Security’s decision with the Federal Labor Relations Authority, possibly leading to a lengthy legal battle. For now, though, the threat they pose to progessive immigration policy has been thwarted.