ICE Offers Tribute to Martin Luther King Jr., But Twitter Isn't Having It

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Americans across the country took to social media to pay homage to the late civil rights leader, though one message from a federal agency left many unimpressed. On Monday, to commemorate MLK Day, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Twitter account shared a message that immediately sparked debate and backlash given the agency's policies and history.

The post was shared with a photo of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Washington, D.C. Overlaid on the graphic was the civil rights hero's date of birth and death, as well his quote, "The time is always right to do what is right." To show their appreciation for King, ICE wrote, "Today we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s message of hope, justice and equality."

Today we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s message of hope, justice and equality. pic.twitter.com/C7HOywZWbd

— ICE (@ICEgov) January 18, 2021

As many pointed out, ICE for years has enacted numerous policies that King would almost certainly be against and contradict the message of "hope, justice and equality" the agency shared in its MLK Day tweet, including the separation of children and infants from parents or guardians with whom they had entered the U.S. ICE has also faced overwhelming backlash for keeping children in cages. Many also pointed out the number of fatalities in ICE custody as well as the conditions detainees are kept in.

ICE, however, is not the only government entity to face backlash for its MLK Day message. Last year, the FBI found itself wading controversy after sharing a photo of King's quote etched into a stone at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia that serves as "a reminder to all students and FBI employees: 'The time is always right to do what is right.'" The backlash to ICE's tweet was just as fierce, even renewing calls to abolish ICE.