ICE Deportations: Order or Overreach?

We will be at Southeast Regional Library in Room C

About the Group: This is a friendly Socratic Café where we explore big ideas through open conversation. No philosophy background is needed, just curiosity, respect, and a willingness to share and listen.

1) Theme 1: The Government

a) When public opinion leans toward stricter enforcement, does the government have an independent responsibility to set moral limits, or should it mainly follow what voters ask for?

b) If certain immigration policies clearly benefit citizens while placing most of the burden on non‑citizens, how should the government weigh those competing interests?

2) Theme 2: The ICE Agents

a) If an ICE agent believes a particular deportation is legal but personally troubling, is it more responsible to carry it out carefully or to refuse and risk being replaced by someone less hesitant?

b) Do you think the moral responsibilities of ICE agents are similar to those of soldiers following orders, or should we judge their decisions in a different way?

3) Theme 3: The Undocumented Immigrants

a) If someone has lived in the U.S. without legal immigration status for many years and built strong family and community ties, why should the passage of time change how we should think about their possible deportation?

b) When legal pathways and visas are limited, should long‑settled undocumented residents ever be prioritized over people abroad who have followed formal application processes?

4) Theme 4: The Protesters

a) If non‑violent civil disobedience, such as blocking a vehicle or delaying an operation, both prevents a particular deportation and increases safety risks for everyone involved, how should we evaluate that action in a system based on the rule of law?

b) If certain protest strategies risk creating a public backlash (either strengthening support for stricter enforcement or weakening support for the cause) should that possibility affect how protesters choose their methods?