It's Time to "M.E.L.T." ICE

By Don Varyu, Jan. 17, 2026

It's time for action. 

Polling shows that almost 90% of Americans have seen video of the shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis…or at least heard about it. This is unusually high.
Which in itself raises red flags: all politicians see a mandate to respond. On the GOP side, Trump and his lackeys invented preposterous depictions of what happened (despite video evidence discounting those claims).

On the left, there is understandable horror—and also, a typically, wrongheaded proposal from some quarters. When George Floyd was murdered by police (also in Minneapolis), the most hysterical voices immediately shouted, “defund the police!” What this response did not consider is that most Americans want more police in their neighborhoods, not less. The impact of those foolish words has echoed through election cycles ever since.

Now Democrats find themselves at exactly the same crossroad. Leaders are internally divided over support for the demand to “abolish ICE!” This call immediately leaves them wide open to claims from the right that Democrats, as usual, want every criminal and grifter to walk freely into the country. You may dismiss this as ridiculous. But Donald Trump knows this take greases the path into the White House.

So Dems are left wondering, what can we do?

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Here’s one simple answer. Don’t demand to “abolish” ICE; instead, immediately introduce legislation in Congress to “M.E.L.T." it.

As you may have guessed, that “melt” name is an acronym:

M: MASKS—these are the things that are abolished.

E: ENGAGEMENT. There will be strict procedures im place for how every officer interacts with every citizen in every situation. For reference, listen to the Minneapolis police chief list the rules he has introduced and enforces, as told to the New York Tims “Daily” podcast. (Short version: officer identifies himself and his rank and first explains the reason for the stop or interaction.)

L: LEGALITY. ICE agents are definitely not immune from the laws that apply to every other law enforcement officer, and every citizen. In particular, in every case where an injury or death results from an ICE interaction with a citizen, there is a mandatory investigation conducted by an independent entity outside the federal government. 

T:TRAINING and TATICS. Every agent must undergo a standard training regimen, which is authorized and overseen by Congress. Similarly, tactics that command officers deploy  in the field are also subject to the same oversight.
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Would Trump allow this? Wouldn’t he just veto this even if it did get through Congress?
Well, of course he would. Because it dares to challenge his authority.

But there are positives along the way.

First, every GOP member of Congress understands he or she must either support this commonsense bill…or explain to voters why ICE does not need to be reined in.
 
And second, the process of simply proposing this law and forcing it to a vote will further accelerate Trump’s melting grasp of reality, and on his own drip-drip-drip loss of self-control.

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