WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., cosponsored S. Res. 572, a resolution expressing support for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and personnel, and denouncing calls to abolish the agency.

“The men and women of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency provide an essential national security service by protecting our borders and communities,” Wicker said. “I strongly disagree with calls to abolish ICE. This nonsensical idea would promote lawlessness, threatening our safety and sovereignty.”

In response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, ICE was created by Congress as part of the Department of Homeland Security in 2003. During fiscal year (FY) 2017, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested more than 127,000 aliens with criminal convictions or charges.

Criminal aliens arrested by ICE ERO in FY 2017 were responsible for:

• More than 76,000 dangerous drug offenses;
• More than 48,000 assault offenses;
• More than 11,000 weapon offenses;
• More than 5,000 sexual assault offenses;
• More than 2,000 kidnapping offenses; and
• More than 1,800 homicide offenses. 

S. Res. 572 was introduced by U.S. Senator John Kennedy, R-La. In addition to Wicker, the resolution has been cosponsored by 29 U.S. Senators, including Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss.