The head of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in San Francisco has apologized for posting an image on social media that Muslim American groups say dehumanizes Muslim women.
“I am horrified that the post would be taken as anything other than a dig at myself, but upon further reflection, I understand how it could be interpreted otherwise and am truly sorry,” the ICE chief, David Jennings, said in his apology, reports The San Francisco Chronicle.
“It was not my intention to offend anyone and I hope that the explanation of my intent assuages any hurt the post may have inadvertently caused.”
The meme, which Jennings posted on his LinkedIn account, shows three patio umbrellas that purportedly looked like three women in burqas and the caption “I spent 30 minutes talking to them to learn more about their culture until the barman told me they were umbrellas.”
Jennings added, in a caption that he was trying to use the "lessons learned from my terrorism mentor … Guess I need more work.”
He removed the meme from LinkedIn after The Chronicle asked other ICE officials about it.
In his statement, Jennings said he'd directed the meme to "a former co-worker and instructor in Arab culture and was meant to poke fun at myself and use me as an example to show that everyone can and should keep learning about people from different cultures, including people like me with extensive experience working with different cultures and traditions.”
Jennings is in charge of overseeing immigration in California from Bakersfield up to the Oregon border, and also in Hawaii and Guam. After he shared the image three months ago, another ICE official, in a separate office, also clicked a "like" button for the image.
Advocates, though, complained that Jennings did not see a problem with his post until it was pointed out.
“That he did not see the problem with his post until it was pointed out worries me about his ability to lead and carry out his duties, particularly as they relate to immigrants from Muslim-majority countries,” Zahra Billoo, head of the Council on American-Islamic Relations Bay Area, commented. “Unfortunately, this follows the trend that our president and his administration have set in their offensive and often dangerous language.”
Jennings has directed field offices in Los Angeles and in Houston and has worked in immigration enforcement for more than 20 years, except for a period from September 2001 to January 2005, when he served as a senior special agent for the Joint Terrorism Task Force in Sacramento.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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