Fact Check: ICE is the new age Gestapo

Fact Check: "ICE is the new age Gestapo"

What We Know

The claim that "ICE is the new age Gestapo" has gained traction in recent years, particularly during political controversies surrounding immigration enforcement in the United States. The term "Gestapo," which refers to the Nazi regime's secret police responsible for suppressing dissent and carrying out brutal acts during the Holocaust, has increasingly been invoked in discussions about U.S. law enforcement agencies, especially ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement). A report indicates that mentions of the term "Gestapo" in relation to U.S. federal law enforcement have surged by 388% from 2017 to 2024, correlating with significant political events and controversies involving ICE and other federal agencies (Weaponizing History).

In 2018, the Trump administration's "zero tolerance" immigration policy, which resulted in the separation of thousands of migrant children from their parents, led to widespread outrage and comparisons of ICE to the Gestapo. This trend continued during the racial justice protests in 2020, where federal agents were criticized for detaining protesters in unmarked vehicles, further fueling the analogy (Weaponizing History). More recently, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz referred to ICE as “Trump’s modern-day Gestapo” in a commencement address, igniting further debate and condemnation from officials like those in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS Hits Back).

Analysis

The comparison of ICE to the Gestapo is complex and multifaceted. On one hand, critics argue that ICE's practices, including the deportation of long-term residents and the treatment of detainees, evoke the oppressive tactics historically associated with the Gestapo. For instance, the Left Voice article highlights that both agencies have been involved in mass raids and deportations, drawing parallels between the historical actions of the Gestapo and contemporary ICE operations (ICE vs. the Gestapo). The article suggests that ICE's actions can be seen as even more egregious, particularly in their targeting of vulnerable populations, including children.

Conversely, many commentators and officials argue that such comparisons are inappropriate and trivialize the historical atrocities committed by the Nazis. The Department of Homeland Security has labeled these comparisons as "sickening," emphasizing that while ICE's actions may be controversial, they do not equate to the systematic genocide and brutality of the Gestapo (DHS Hits Back, DHS response). Critics of the analogy also point out that not all law enforcement actions, however harsh, can be directly compared to the actions of a regime that orchestrated the Holocaust (ICE is not the Gestapo).

The reliability of sources discussing this claim varies. Academic analyses and reports from established organizations tend to provide a more nuanced view, while social media and politically charged commentary may lack the same rigor and can be influenced by bias. The significant increase in the use of the term "Gestapo" in political discourse reflects a broader trend of using historical analogies to critique contemporary governance, but it also raises concerns about the potential trivialization of historical events (Weaponizing History).

Conclusion

The claim that "ICE is the new age Gestapo" is Partially True. While there are valid points of comparison regarding the oppressive nature of certain ICE practices and the historical actions of the Gestapo, the analogy risks oversimplifying and trivializing the unique and horrific context of the Holocaust. The use of such comparisons in political discourse highlights significant concerns about immigration enforcement in the U.S., but it is essential to approach these analogies with caution and an understanding of their historical implications.

Fact Check: ICE is the new age Gestapo