The original gestapo, named from the initial syllables of the Geheime (secret) Staatspolizei (state police), was created shortly after the Nazi takeover of Germany in 1933.  Its mission was to prosecute Nazi opponents, Jews, Roma, gays, and other “undesirables.”  Its members were former police officers and Nazis, as well as informants and spies.  In 1939, it became part of the Schutzstaffel, or ”protective staff”.  The SS, as it came to be known, was a major Nazi paramilitary organization that became the primary instrument of terror and control both in Germany and occupied Europe. 

     Trump and his staff have created an American gestapo: ICE.  This “Immigration and Customs Enforcement” agency mirrors its Nazi predecessor.  “Serve your country! Defend your culture!” ICE now proclaims.  Using the iconic image of Uncle Sam pointing at you, a Department of Homeland Security poster proclaims that “America has been invaded by criminals and predators.  We need YOU to get them out!”  ICE has been given $29.9 billion to accomplish its mission of ridding the nation of supposed immigrant criminals, making it the highest funded law enforcement agency of the federal government.  However, TRAC, or the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, an agency that assesses governmental operations, reported that 71% of the people in ICE custody have no criminal convictions.  The ones that do have only minor convictions, such as traffic offenses.  In addition ICE agents often target innocent civilians.  In one instance in California, Andrea Velez was abducted by ICE, detained, and then charged with assaulting an ICE officer.  A video shows that Velez, a U.S. citizen, was snatched off the street by masked agents and forced into an ICE vehicle.  The charges against her were later dropped.

     ICE has taken to frequenting courts, churches, workplaces, and immigrant residential communities.  There have been numerous complaints about their masks as well as their actions.  Recently, however, the Trump regime has had trouble finding people to become ICE agents.  Remedies include signing bonuses (up to $50,000) and repayment of student loans.  Age limits and degree requirements have been discarded.  Even with these incentives, ICE is not gaining new members, instead it is losing ones who already work for it.  One ICE agent testified that “Even those that are gung ho about the mission aren’t happy with how they are asked to execute it.”  They dislike going after farm workers and day laborers to meet their quotas.  On August 7th ICE announced that it would offer cash bonuses for deporting people quickly.  Shortly after this outrageous proposal became public, it was abolished.

     In addition, communities are now organizing against ICE.  In Los Angeles, for instance, where Trump called in the marines as well as ICE, local citizens have formed community defenses.  They alert people when ICE shows up, allowing them to disappear.  These tactics, as well as videos showing masked agents arresting ordinary, law-abiding citizens, have contributed to making Trump’s immigration policies extremely unpopular.    We need such actions to increase, to prevent the United States from becoming a new Third Reich.