Somewhere inside the Department of Homeland Security, a person whose name nobody seems eager to attach to the decision issued a directive last week telling ICE agents to stop conducting vehicle stops. As USA Journal reported, nobody has publicly claimed ownership of this order, which is the bureaucratic equivalent of leaving a passive aggressive note on the office fridge and refusing to sign it.
Trump, never one to let a mystery directive go unaddressed, posted a message on Truth Social Wednesday morning that left approximately zero room for interpretation. He told ICE agents to get back out there and resume traffic stops, calling it one of their "most important and effective Crime Fighting tools." He also signed off with "Thank you for your attention to this matter," which in Trump corporate speak roughly translates to "fix this before I find out who did it."
Here is the full quote from the president: "The men and women of ICE are doing a GREAT job, one that has to be done. CRIME IS WAY DOWN IN AMERICA, in many cases with numbers that haven't been seen in decades. The Open Border Policy of Sleepy Joe Biden allowed 25,000,000 people to pour into our Country, unchecked and unvetted. Many were Criminals, and we have to get them out. In order to do this, we must be strong, tough, and smart, and we CANNOT give up one of I.C.E.'s most important and effective Crime Fighting tools, THE TRAFFIC STOP! Once we do, we are playing right into the criminal's hands. The Radical Left Dumocrats would like to see this done, but it won't happen on my watch. I.C.E., be judicious, fair and smart, and go back and do your very important job. Keep those Crime Stat Records coming! Remember, you are loved and respected in America. Thank you for your attention to this matter! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP"
The context behind the stand down order involves two ICE traffic stops in the past week that ended in shootings, one in Texas and one in Maine, after illegal aliens allegedly drove their vehicles directly at agents during lawful enforcement. DHS alleges one incident was a deliberate ramming attempt. Both subjects would likely still be alive had they complied. The operational response from whoever is running DHS was to pause most vehicle stops nationwide pending new training.
So to recap the logic here: illegal aliens allegedly used cars as weapons against federal officers, and the response was to restrict what federal officers are allowed to do. That is certainly a choice.
Speculation has centered on DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin as the source of the directive. If that is accurate, getting publicly overruled by the president on Truth Social is not exactly a vote of confidence. When your boss tells your employees to ignore your instructions in front of the entire country, that is what HR professionals would call a "development opportunity."
Trump noted that crime is down significantly since he took office, with numbers not seen in decades. Traffic stops are a primary mechanism for how ICE locates and arrests targets. Taking that tool away does not just slow things down. It leaves people on the streets who would otherwise be in detention or deported.
Whoever quietly issued this order is now in the uncomfortable position of having the President of the United States publicly disagree with them while still not knowing if he knows exactly who they are. That is a fun place to be on a Wednesday.
Read more conservative news commentary at: USA Journal News
