An extremism expert accused the Trump administration of brazenly using white supremacist and Nazi propaganda as ICE ramps up its aggressive attacks across American cities.
Wendy Via, co-founder of the Global Project Against Extremism and Hate, described how as tensions have escalated following the ICE killing of 37-year-old mother Renee Good and that the administration has increased its "contentious messaging" as questions rise over the agency's aggressive immigration tactics, The Daily Beast reported.
“DHS, and now other departments, are hardly bothering with dog whistles anymore,” Via told The Beast.
“They’re using blatant white supremacist and Nazi references in their imagery and slogans in an attempt to recruit staff, and they don’t even try to defend their actions. Their shameful reincarnation of white America propaganda from decades ago perfectly illustrates this administration’s view on what America should look like.”
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has been criticized for standing at a podium last week, just a day after the fatal ICE killing, with the message "one of ours, all of yours." The phrase was reminiscent of a Nazi slogan.
"Observers and historians say the words on the podium echo the notion of collective punishment, which underpinned atrocities such as the World War 2 massacre in which Nazis killed civilians in retaliation after an SS officer’s assassination," according to The Beast.
The administration has attempted to blame Good for her own death and signaled that ICE agents would have immunity — raising further questions about ICE recruitment and training. Critics have also warned that the administration uses "dark imagery" to recruit potential ICE officers, "which is often shared among extremist groups on Telegram networks, is part of the problem," The Beast reported.