The "wanted" billboards launched in Pennsylvania by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement featuring at-large immigration violators are "wildly inappropriate" and only being used as "a blunt force instrument in Republicans' political toolbox" ahead of the 2020 elections, former ICE officials told CBS News.
ICE launched the billboard campaign Friday in Pennsylvania, considered a battleground state where Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden leads President Donald Trump in most polls.
The billboards feature immigration violators who "may pose a public safety threat," ICE said in a press release.
"These individuals were previously arrested or convicted of crimes in the U.S. but were released into the community instead of being transferred to ICE custody pursuant to an immigration detainer."
"They have shown that they are happy and eager to use ICE as a blunt force instrument in their political toolbox, but this is taking things to a whole new level," he said.
David Lapan, a retired U.S. Marine colonel and former DHS press secretary during the Trump administration, told the news outlet the placement and timing of the billboards "make it clear that this is a political move, not related to operational matters. We're almost four years into the administration. Why wasn't this done sooner if that was something they thought was important?"
John Sandweg, who led ICE on an acting basis during the Obama administration, called the billboards a "political advertisement in favor of the president or at a minimum, against politicians that they disagree with. And that's just wildly inappropriate."
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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