Hochul (D): We're All Human Beings, Have Compassion Or History Will Judge Us Very Poorly

Kathy Hochul’s appeal to emotion ignores the fundamental truth: these individuals are not law-abiding — they are in the U.S. illegally. Being ordered to check in with ICE or appear before an immigration judge doesn’t make someone “legal.” It means they’re in removal proceedings because they violated U.S. immigration law by entering or staying in the country without permission.

Hochul says it’s “heartbreaking” that ICE detained two "boys," ages 19 and 20, when they showed up for their check-in. But ICE doesn’t arrest people at check-ins for no reason — they target individuals who have been ordered removed, skipped hearings, or pose a flight risk. If these men had legal status, ICE wouldn’t be detaining them.

Her plea to "leave law-abiding people alone" is misleading. If someone is here illegally, they are not law-abiding. They’ve already broken the law — that’s why ICE is involved.

The United States has every right — and responsibility — to enforce its immigration laws. That includes removing people who are here illegally. Compassion doesn’t mean ignoring the law, and it doesn’t mean sacrificing American safety, jobs, or resources to accommodate lawbreakers.