ICE chief “apologizes” for praising racist halloween costume

I suppose we have the director of ICE (Immigrantion and Customs
Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security) to thank for demonstrating
that the struggle for the rights of immigrant workers, against the
prison industrial complex, and against racism are all connected.

Following is a link to a CNN news story about the halloween party held
by Julie Myers, the director of ICE.  Seems that one of her guests
showed up in blackface, dreadlocks, and dressed in a striped
“prisoner’s” outfit.  This is in the vein of so many incidents at
colleges around the country where white students have held “themed”
parties where party-goers mock African American people with blackface
and racist stereotypes.

Myers’ response?  She congratulated the party-goer for his “originality.”

After someone anonymously complained about being offended and leaked
this to the press, Myers apologized, claiming that she didn’t know that
the man who had smeared “bronzer” all over his body was not actually
African American.

Myers oversees the agency that terrorizes immigrant communities around
the country with gestapo-style raids, and which at any given time
imprisons approximately 30,000 immigrants.

Here is the link:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/11/05/ice.costume/

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