War, it is said, is a continuation of policy by other means. State-backed violence, too, can be a continuation of policy. Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff for policy, has repeatedly urged ICE agents to escalate their tactics and increase arrests, and he broadcast to agents that they had “federal immunity.” Since that last remark in October 2025, ICE tactics have become far more violent. But historically speaking, host nations—and in this case we speak of California, Illinois, Oregon, Minnesota, and Maine, I guess—simply do not take well to long-term abusive behavior.

If political ends of these tactics are not to sow profound mistrust, confusion, doubt, anger, and division, then they appear misdirected and misapplied. Tactics disconnected from strategy ultimately result in strategic failure. In this case, ICE tactics would endanger a Republican majority in Congress and control of the White House.

In the end, no matter how hard ICE tries to project its militant image, it remains an arm of the civilian authority and not that of the military. It is not fighting enemies of the United States. It is vital that we remember this and resist normalizing military-style tactics in our streets.