Mike Pence. Remember him, the vice president?

He’s quietly out and about these days dutifully doing the grunt work of delivering presidential messages for an administration where Donald Trump is The Star.

Trump goes to Montana on a rally mission from God to arrange the election defeat of a Democrat senator who dissed him. Pence goes to Homeland Security Friday to talk to the folks at Immigration and Customs Enforcement, not about this tariff offensive the White House is opening up with the world just as the economy gets revved up.

No, Pence was there to tell everyone in ICE headquarters and thousands watching on closed-circuit TV in ICE offices across the country that as far as Donald Trump is concerned, that agency and the Border Patrol charged with enforcing immigration law is here to stay. Period.

Pence sure is a good talker. The Hoosier reeks of sincerity and ensures that everyone in every audience hears several times that he is delivering the Boss’ message. And the message of this administration came across loud and clear–It supports ICE now, always will and Democrats and their supporters who call for its abolishing are way out of bounds:

It isn’t just the expression of the radical left that has been speaking out against ICE. The truth is that opposition of ICE has moved to the center of the Democratic Party itself.

Just when you thought the Democrats couldn’t move farther to the left, leading members of the Democratic Party, including candidates for higher office, are actually openly advocating the abolition of ICE.

You may recall this fall there’s a crucial midterm election (is there any other kind?) and ICE and the Trump administration’s enforcement actions on illegal immigrants have become an important fault line as the two parties seek to divide the country into responsive voting camps for Nov. 6.

“The truth is,” Pence added, “every day, every day, men and women of ICE also confront criminal illegal immigrants who endanger our communities and prey on our most vulnerable.” He said in 2017 alone ICE had arrested 4,818 gang members, including 796 from MS-13. Agents seized nearly a million pounds of narcotics and saved 518 victims of human trafficking

As we all have seen in the press lately, the heroes of ICE are being attacked and demonized for the work that you do in an unprecedented rate in recent weeks. ICE has been targeted with protests across this country, not only on the job but in public square and social media, and for many of you, even at your homes.

The vice president added: “The truth is that calls to abolish ICE are not just outrageous. They’re irresponsible” and would allow more illegal immigration, crime and dangers to ordinary citizens. “Be confident of this,” he added, “President Donald Trump and I will always fight for you.”

Full video of the vice president’s remarks are available from CSPAN’s archives here and the complete Pence speech text is available here.