Senator Jim Justice urges scale back of ICE deportations

Senator Jim Justice of West Virginia has called for the Trump administration to scale back Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, suggesting the agency should ‘step back’ to evaluate its approach. Justice expressed concern that enforcement agents can become overzealous, potentially removing individuals who have lived in their communities for many years.

His remarks come amid pressure from the agricultural sector, where rancher associations have condemned recent ICE activity, citing negative impacts on agricultural communities and rising labor costs due to deportations. Additionally, an investigation by the ACLU of West Virginia reported that approximately three-quarters of the 593 individuals arrested by ICE in the state during ‘Operation Country Roads’ in January had no criminal record.

Justice’s stance places him at odds with the administration’s aggressive immigration agenda. These comments also emerge as the Republican senator considers a potential 2028 primary challenge to West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey.