An ICE hotline set up to allow reports of crimes committed by "criminal aliens" has had a close encounter with trolls:
The administration set up the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) Office on Wednesday, in accordance with President Trump's executive order in January. The office, folded within the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, aims to "assist victims of crimes committed by criminal aliens," according to the Department of Homeland Security.
"Alien" is a term used by the federal government to describe individuals who are not American citizens but who reside on U.S. soil. [...] Despite the line's intended purpose, callers have been reporting a range of abnormal activity.
1-855-48-VOICE to report all your encounters w/ illegal martians, rude Sasquatch, unleashed Texas Blue Hounds, Springheel Jack. Goblin army.
— Kathleen Dennis (@chelseabmw) April 27, 2017
ICE denounced the calls, saying such actions hurt victims of real crimes. Callers have even mentioned spotting "muggle-borns," a term from the "Harry Potter" book series referring to magical characters with non-magical parents.
Also at The Atlantic and CNN. Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) Office.
(Score: 2) by linkdude64 on Saturday April 29 2017, @09:28PM
I know, I know...I mean I read the first three HP books and was enormously underwhelmed, and that is really what I base my judgements of the series on, not to speak of the fanbase. I hear that the following books get much more interesting, I just struggle to eliminate the bias I have seeing that well before the 3rd book was out the series had received critical acclaim. Similar issue to how McDonalds is desperately trying to rid themselves of the stigma they have rightly earned for serving the cheapest synthetic edible food-like substances for years by offering yogurt cups and apple slices.
I have been telling myself for years to buy the other books and giving it a 4th chance, but I just can't bring myself to.
I remember the ancient space-faring tree-ships of Hyperion and am dumbstruck at how a central character in Harry Potter, the "evil wizard...without a nose!!" is somehow more compelling to the global audience than a mere object in the former book, and all that comes to mind is that marketing principle, "appeal to the lowest common denominator to achieve the greatest popularity." Again, not talking down on your tastes, just elaborating on my perspective and quite real struggle. Just this week I physically tensed up after someone who could not spell "bearing" correctly stated to me that they "loved to read" and that Harry Potter was their favorite series.