Just when you thought the Democratic Party had installed the Woke 2.0 software update, somebody at DNC headquarters apparently clicked “Restore Previous Version.” On Saturday, members of the Democratic National Committee gathered in Austin and approved two different resolutions dealing with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. One calls for “concrete reforms” to ICE. The other calls for abolishing ICE altogether. Yes, you read that correctly. Apparently ICE needs to be dramatically improved immediately before it ceases to exist. If you’re wondering how the same political party can simultaneously support fixing an agency and eliminating that agency, congratulations: you have successfully completed the first semester of Advanced Democratic Policy Studies.
Democrats Have Reached the Reform-It-Until-It-Doesn’t-Exist Stage
According to the Associated Press, the DNC approved both measures as part of its summer meeting, exposing a very real disagreement between Democrats who want ICE reformed and progressives who want it abolished. The resolutions are nonbinding and don’t establish the official Democratic Party platform, which is important context. Individual Democratic candidates remain free to take their own positions. But symbolism matters in politics, and one of America’s two major political parties just approved a resolution urging Congress to abolish the federal agency primarily responsible for immigration enforcement inside the United States. At almost the same time, it approved another resolution saying that agency should undergo “concrete reforms.” This is the political equivalent of taking your Ford to the mechanic and saying, “Please replace the transmission. Also, crush the car.”
The Abolish ICE Crowd Isn’t Joking
The abolition resolution was pushed by Louisiana DNC member Michele Johnson, and its supporters argue that ICE is fundamentally broken rather than merely in need of reform. ICE itself isn’t some ancient American institution carved into Mount Rushmore. It was created in 2003 as part of the post-9/11 creation of the Department of Homeland Security, after functions previously performed by the Immigration and Naturalization Service were reorganized. So abolish-ICE supporters aren’t necessarily saying America should have absolutely no immigration enforcement. Their proposal envisions getting rid of ICE and restructuring or transferring necessary functions elsewhere. That’s an important distinction. But here’s another important distinction: “Abolish ICE” still means abolish ICE. And after years of Democrats complaining that Republicans unfairly characterize their immigration positions as extreme, putting those two words into a DNC-approved resolution isn’t exactly making the Republican opposition-research department work overtime.
One Democrat Actually Noticed There Is an Election Coming
Not everyone at the DNC meeting thought this was political genius. Missouri DNC member Yvonne Reeves-Chong opposed the abolition resolution and offered what may qualify as the most shocking proposal heard at a political committee meeting this year: perhaps Democrats should concentrate on winning elections. “I would strongly suggest we get to the business of winning races so we can make the policies that make a difference,” she said. There’s a radical thought. Immigration remains one of President Trump’s stronger issues even as his overall immigration approval has declined. An AP-NORC poll released this month found 39% of adults approved of Trump’s handling of immigration, down from 49% at the beginning of his second term, but immigration still rated better for Trump than the economy or Iran. So naturally, with Republicans looking for a favorable midterm issue, Democrats decided to hand them a resolution labeled ABOLISH ICE with a nice little bow on top.
Wait, Didn’t We Just Upgrade to Woke 2.0?
The timing is especially hilarious because we literally just discussed this at Steadfast and Loyal. In our article, “AOC Admits Woke 1.0 Went Too Far — Meet Woke 2.0”, we examined Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s acknowledgment that the rhetoric used during the Woke 1.0 period isn’t necessarily rhetoric progressives would use today. The basic idea behind Woke 2.0 is pretty simple: take the unpopular slogans and cultural insanity of the 2020 era, quietly put them in storage, and replace them with language about affordability, housing, childcare, healthcare and working families. It’s actually smart politics. And then, approximately five minutes later, the DNC apparently wandered into the storage room, dusted off the “ABOLISH ICE” sign and said, “Hey guys, remember this one?”
Woke 1.0 Called — It Wants Its Slogan Back
“Abolish ICE” isn’t new. The slogan exploded during Trump’s first term and became particularly popular among the progressive wing of the Democratic Party beginning around 2018. Like “defund the police,” it created an immediate messaging problem because moderate Democrats spent considerable time explaining that the most radical-sounding interpretation wasn’t necessarily what every Democrat supported. That’s true. Most Democrats never supported abolishing ICE, just as most never supported literally eliminating police departments. But political slogans have consequences. When your activists create a three-word slogan requiring a nine-minute explanation of why those three words don’t really mean what ordinary people think they mean, you may want to consider hiring a different advertising agency.
Ken Martin Tries to Find the Common Ground Somewhere
DNC Chairman Ken Martin attempted to explain the larger point behind the competing resolutions, saying Democrats are united in believing that the Trump administration’s current immigration enforcement approach needs to change. That’s fair enough. Democrats have every right to criticize ICE operations, detention policies, deportation procedures and the administration’s enforcement tactics. There have also been deadly encounters involving ICE this summer that have intensified Democratic anger toward the agency. But politically, there’s a world of difference between saying “ICE needs accountability and reform” and saying “abolish ICE.” Martin now gets the enjoyable job of explaining why his party approved both positions. Perhaps the DNC can compromise by abolishing ICE on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays while reforming it Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Republicans Should Send the DNC a Fruit Basket
If you’re running Republican campaigns heading into November, this story isn’t a crisis. It’s Christmas in August. Republicans would love nothing more than to spend the next several months talking about border security, deportations, criminal illegal immigrants and whether the federal government should vigorously enforce immigration law. Democrats have stronger political terrain available to them, particularly affordability and economic concerns. Yet instead of forcing Republicans to defend grocery prices and household costs every day until November, progressives are helping shift attention back toward immigration — and they’re doing it with one of the most politically explosive slogans available. Somewhere at Republican National Committee headquarters, somebody should be writing Michele Johnson a very tasteful thank-you note.
But Republicans Shouldn’t Get Too Comfortable
There is one warning here for conservatives. Public attitudes toward ICE have changed, particularly after controversial enforcement operations and deadly encounters. Democrats aren’t debating abolition in a vacuum. There is genuine anger among progressive voters and broader concern about how immigration enforcement is being conducted. Republicans shouldn’t interpret opposition to abolishing ICE as permission for unlimited or sloppy government power. Americans can support secure borders and deportation of people here illegally while also demanding due process, professionalism and accountability from federal agents. Conservatives traditionally believe government power should be constrained by law. That principle shouldn’t suddenly disappear because the government employee happens to have ICE written on his jacket.
This Is Really a Fight Over What Democratic Party Shows Up in November
That’s what makes these dueling resolutions more interesting than the usual Washington shouting match. One faction of the Democratic Party understands that the rhetoric of Woke 1.0 hurt the party with ordinary voters and wants to communicate progressive goals differently. Another faction believes the lesson from recent elections isn’t to moderate but to fight harder and speak more clearly. Michele Johnson actually criticized Democrats for sounding overly academic, focus-grouped and poll-tested. In one sense, she’s right. Voters can smell political consultants from three counties away. But authenticity doesn’t automatically make an idea popular. You can sincerely tell voters you’re going to abolish ICE. They may sincerely tell you to enjoy your retirement.
So Is ICE Being Reformed or Abolished?
For now, the answer from the Democratic National Committee appears to be yes. Again, these resolutions aren’t binding, they don’t constitute the Democratic platform, and Democrats running in November aren’t required to support either one. But they provide a fascinating snapshot of a party still trying to decide what it learned from the political battles of the past several years. Woke 2.0 says soften the rhetoric, focus on economic populism and speak to voters who aren’t spending twelve hours a day on political social media. Woke 1.0 says dust off the old protest signs and let’s give this another shot. This weekend, the DNC somehow managed to endorse both philosophies. Republicans shouldn’t assume voters will automatically punish Democrats for it. But if the Democratic plan for winning the midterms is simultaneously reforming ICE and abolishing ICE, Donald Trump may want to send them a fruit basket too.
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