Abdul El-Sayed, running for the Democratic nomination in Michigan's 2026 Senate race, has declared that Immigration and Customs Enforcement should be abolished, calling the agency a "paramilitary force of thugs" and a tool of executive power that operates outside constitutional bounds.
El-Sayed, who is currently competitive in the Democratic primary, characterized ICE as unconstitutional and described it as a vehicle for presidential authority disconnected from legal accountability. He contends that the agency has undermined the rule of law and constitutional protections since its establishment.
In his remarks, El-Sayed highlighted the geographic scope of ICE operations as evidence that immigration enforcement is not the agency's sole purpose. He noted that operations occur in cities far from the southern border, such as Minneapolis, suggesting that the agency's actual function extends beyond immigration control to broader enforcement mechanisms.
"Trump recognized that ICE and the pretext of immigration was the best way for him to create a paramilitary force of thugs who he could put on your street corner to be accountable only to him, and that is what he's doing," El-Sayed stated. He further argued that abolishing ICE should be an uncontroversial position rooted in constitutional principles and the rule of law.
El-Sayed's position has drawn criticism from Republican opponents as the Michigan Senate race takes shape. The candidate has emerged as a significant contender in the Democratic primary as the party navigates its positioning on immigration policy heading into the 2026 election cycle.
