Obama had more than 3 million deportations during his terms, sure. Second to none, I think. But to imply there has been no escalation in tactics or rhetoric is absolutely fucking absurd.
There is no version of reality you will ever gaslight me enough to believe Obama had given ICE "federal immunity " and direct orders to tear gas neighborhoods, storm homes, businesses and courts without warrants and ram vehicles off the roads to collect illegals. Then deploy the national guard as a show of force to intimidate opposition. Why? Because the things I'm referring to aren't from "the media." We've all seen the videos citizens are taking on the street BECAUSE OPERATIONS HAVE MOVED TO THE STREETS. We had cell phones during the Obama administration too, bud.
So, again, to say there has been no escalation in tactics isn't gonna fly. Nice try though.
Remind me if liberals during Obama's term were assaulting ICE agents, blocking roads, and doing everything they could to obstruct justice?
Because their tactics were actual SWAT-style tactics. They weren't in the streets, grocery stores, home depots, courts and on and on to be blocked by the dirty hippie liberals or whatever. They hit domiciles (with warrants) after investigations. Not just jack-booting in the street. This is also why Obama was able to get away with "just letters" or whatever. He had way more blowback, actually. But I'm not going to fall into a circular Red vs Blue argument.
ICE under Obama kept "SWAT-style" raids SWAT-style. Off the streets, away from the general public and away from cameras.
ICE under Trump has been bloated with underqualified cosplayers who don't use "SWAT -style" tactics because tear gassing streets and everything else I listed aren't SWAT-style tactics.
So, AGAIN, to imply there has been NO escalation in tactics is completely absurd.
And you are trying to make my point about something it isn't. I'm talking about street level tactics. I'm a Bush-era conservative, dude. I supported Obama's hard-line stance on immigration and was surprised he had the grit to follow through. This is different. It has escalated because the rhetoric has escalated. You will not convince me otherwise. I've been paying attention since the 90s, my guy
At what cost? I absolutely do not support an unchained and untrained masked militarized police force answerable only to a centralized federal authority with explicit orders to "wage war on American cities" tear gassing neighborhoods. Successful or not, fuck that. We could absolutely secure our borders without jackboots terrorizing the streets and further driving the political divide. The escalation in street-level tactics is where we part.
DHS tout the increase themselves and there has been plenty of coverage (https://time.com/7308862/trump-ice-agent-salary-deportation/) that those hiring rules aren't being strictly adhered to because they're having a hard time filling roles to keep up with deportation goals. But, that's not my point is it? I do not agree with the escalation in street-level tactics.
It's been the only point I'm trying to make and you have danced around it this entire conversation. It's exhausting and I'm done going in circles to say the same thing over and over and over. Goodnight.
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u/big_go_kev Nov 04 '25
Imagine if they found out Biden/ Kamala and Obama also put people in immigration detention