Trump’s new authoritarian tool is already at work ahead of the midterms

Reported by MS NOW. The paragraphs below are the opening of that article, reproduced word for word — not a summary, and not the whole piece.

Ahead of Election Day, the Trump administration is using ICE to put its power on display.

This is an adapted excerpt from the Oct. 7 episode of “The 11th Hour with Ali Velshi.”

With less than 30 days until Election Day , new reporting offers evidence that a desperate Donald Trump , facing a likely midterm defeat for his party, has turned to an authoritarian tool he has been cultivating since retaking the presidency.

In his second term, Trump has sought to transform Immigration and Customs Enforcement . His so-called “one big, beautiful bill” funneled $75 billion in new funding to the agency — more than the total military spending of several countries, including France, Japan and South Korea.

He has allowed ICE officers to wear masks and operate anonymously, shielding agents from scrutiny and accountability.

He has deployed ICE to carry out sweeping immigration operations in Democratic-led cities, such as Los Angeles and Chicago. In Minneapolis earlier this year, the number of federal immigration agents deployed to the city outnumbered the local police force. And untrained ICE agents have repeatedly used violence against citizens and noncitizens alike.