"We cannot expect to prosecute the majority of them."

Why not?

I worry we'd be stuck we a "defund the police" sorta narrative again.

No matter what we say or do, the right wing propaganda machine will spin it into something terrible. It is a losing proposition to adjust our agenda to what we imagine the right wing media might do in response. So long as we are an inch to the left from MAGA they will call us Marxists. Moving to the right will never solve that problem. We could abandon every left wing position and right wing media would still attack us.

I fully understand that my point of view on this is not likely to prevail. Fear and caution is baked in to the thinking of too many Democrats. "This is a center right country (which I don't think is true, but whatever) so therefore we need to tread lightly" simply guarantees that it will always be a center right country.

Spread thew far and wide, you will one day atone. You too bondi.

I don't think atone is the right term. But I hear what you are saying.

to those ICE employees who fail to comply.

The acronym ICE stands for "Immigration and Customs Enforcement".

The problem isn't that they exist and do the job they should be doing. (before anyone starts - let's not do "Defund the Police!" redux.)

The problem is that they are currently operating OUTSIDE THE LAW themselves, including inappropriate detentions and the way those detentions are subsequently processed.

Most people in this country do believe our laws should be enforced, including immigration laws. But you might be surprised to realize how many "normal conservatives" are mightily pissed off at the Trump administration right now for the illegal and immoral way they have turned what should be a law enforcement agency into an arm of lawlessness and cruelty.

So fix the part that's broken - even if it means replacing 80% of current employees - but keep the part that most voters actually want.

for an agency that at best can be absorbed into others.

Many, many people should be fired.

they need to focus on their core mission and apprehending actual criminals.

Probably a good chunk of their funding should be redirected to immigration courts so applicants get quicker hearings and resolutions.