Immigration Turmoil and the Cost of Broken Accountability

As systems collapse, who will stand up for us?

A week in, and everything is a mess.

How’s that for a brutally honest introduction?

Here’s some more brutal honesty: America's immigration system is undeniably broken. Most Americans agree with this, wherever they land on the political spectrum. Not doing anything about it isn’t an option, leaving two potential courses of action: fixing the system we have, or obliterating it with a sledgehammer. We all know Donald Trump’s preference. The thing is, a lot of Americans are pro-sledgehammer, too, because they felt like no one cared about the problem until Trump came along.

Now, we know that’s not true.

There were well-publicized efforts in Congress to reform immigration that spectacularly failed—the most recent was killed due to political pressure from Trump himself. And for that matter, Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden deported a lot of undocumented immigrants too. In fact, during his presidency, Joe Biden surpassed Donald Trump in deportations. In fiscal year 2024, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported over 270,000 individuals, marking the highest annual number since 2014 and more than any year under Trump. (Yes, it’s true! You’d better grab that report before Trump and Stephen Miller realize it’s still accessible. Factual stats about the Biden Administration? Can’t have that!)

Despite these actions, they failed to resonate with the voters. After years of political failure, half-measures, and outright neglect, the idea of genuinely fixing the immigration system has become little more than a distant mirage—proof that dysfunction, whether real or manufactured, can erode even the possibility of meaningful reform. Go figure.

Let’s be clear: the way immigration is being handled right now is appalling, from ICE raids targeting schools and churches to the blocking of authorized refugees, but it’s conspicuous and theatrical. In today’s America, visibility often outweighs effectiveness. We’ve known the system was deeply flawed for decades—far from perfect. As a result, swift and forceful action looks like a better solution than nothing to many Americans.

The rest of us see a startling lack of humanity and safety (what else can you expect when Stephen Miller is involved?). We see beyond the very real black-and-white issues to the complexities, dangers, and heartbreak. And we see the structures that once ensured accountability and expertise being systematically dismantled in the process.

Take Homeland Security. The appointment of Kristi Noem as secretary, a person with little understanding of the department’s mission or functions but unwavering loyalty to Donald Trump, shows how much the administration cares about accountability: not at all. It’s not just about individual appointments either—it’s the broader trend of repurposing federal law enforcement resources for political purposes. Even IRS agents, with no training or expertise in immigration, will likely be directed to the border to enforce policies they are ill-equipped to understand.

At the federal level, an obvious political strategy is at play: create a culture of fear, retaliation, and hopelessness. And it’s working. The Democratic response so far has been weak, and that cost them in the election, and will continue to do so until they figure out how to navigate this crisis effectively. If they don’t, we are heading toward a rocky midterm election cycle and, potentially, a long four years of uncertainty.

As shell-shocked Democrats are caught in disarray, my concern lies in how the federal apparatus is being reshaped to serve a more dangerous and authoritarian vision. The dismantling of expertise and accountability has been the through line of many of the administration’s actions in one short (but long) week. Think about it. The agencies that work to safeguard public health? Silenced. Inspectors general, responsible for overseeing government functions and ensuring lawful operations? Fired. Prosecutors who have done their job to uphold the law? Investigated. Shouldn’t these people be protected from political interference? Don’t they work for us?

This was always the plan. When people ask why I didn’t follow the traditional whistleblower process during Trump 1.0, this is precisely why. The safeguards meant to ensure accountability were already being dismantled. Inspectors general, for example, exist to investigate misconduct and prevent corruption—they are a critical check on power. Without an impartial corps of inspectors general, there is no transparency and no one to hold leaders accountable when they abuse their positions.

Ultimately, it’s the American people who pay the price. Democracy cannot function without oversight, as accountability is the foundation of a government that serves everyone. This is where the real danger lies. When that foundation is undermined, we are left with a frighteningly ill-prepared government to deal with a crisis because it’s rife with loyalty-based hires devoid of expertise and integrity—brought to you, ironically, by the very same people who decry “DEI hires” for those exact reasons. That’s a recipe for disaster.

Who will stand up for us? Local leaders like Chicago’s mayor, perhaps. Mayor Brandon Johnson has taken a stand against the handling of migrants in his city. It’s a rare moment of local resistance in a political climate where far too many leaders are afraid to confront the harsh realities of federal immigration policy. But let’s not kid ourselves. He may be standing strong now, but how long will his resolve last when the Trump Administration inevitably pulls some strings? Or when he gets political blowback from his own pro-sledgehammer constituents? We’ve already seen how powerful federal entities can push back against local leadership through legal, economic, or political pressure. Who will stand with him when that happens?

It will take more than just a handful of courageous renegades to resist the tide of authoritarianism. It will require a broad coalition of state and local leaders across the nation to take bold, united, tireless stands consistent with the will of the American people. Federalism is more crucial now than in the last 150 years—or perhaps ever. As national governance becomes more centralized and based on loyalty to one man, we must look to the local and state levels as bulwarks of resistance.

The battle for accountability and expertise in government isn’t “politics as usual.” It’s about who is looking out for us and our best interests. Without them, we will find ourselves in a country where the government serves only those in power, and the rest of us are left with no one to stand up for us…but us.

Hang in there,
Olivia

P.S. I want to acknowledge my brave friend Jim Acosta today. As you probably know, his time slot on CNN was going to be pushed to midnight, as the network reorganizes to be more Trump-friendly. Instead, he resigned on air with this powerful message: “It is never a good time to bow down to a tyrant…Do not give in to the lies. Don’t give into the fear. Hold on to the truth and to hope.” The son of a Cuban refugee standing strong and staying true to his commitment of journalism based on facts and not capitulating to authoritarian figures. Thank you, Jim.