During a recent Fox News appearance, Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina said that one of her “favorite things to watch on YouTube” is video footage of ICE agents dragging people out of courtrooms for deportation. These are real people—often with no criminal convictions—attending court hearings, seeking asylum, or checking in with immigration officials as required. And she’s entertained by their suffering.

Let’s be clear: being undocumented is a civil violation, not a crime. And our country’s legal system is supposed to ensure due process for everyone, not serve as a trap where people are ambushed while doing exactly what the law asks of them.

We don’t all have to agree on immigration policy, but celebrating the forced removal of vulnerable people from court—often in front of their families—is not just cruel. It’s un-American. We believe our elected leaders should uphold the dignity of all people, not glorify their humiliation for political points.

Thousands of people are currently being detained by ICE, and more than 70% of them have no criminal convictions at all. Rep. Mace’s comments ignore these facts and paint all immigrants with a dangerous, dehumanizing brush. That kind of rhetoric has no place in a democracy, especially from someone entrusted with public office.

We call on Rep. Nancy Mace to apologize publicly for her comments and meet with immigrant communities directly affected by the enforcement tactics she celebrated. We also urge members of Congress from both parties to condemn this kind of rhetoric and affirm that every person in this country—regardless of immigration status—deserves to be treated with basic respect.

When cruelty becomes entertainment, something is deeply broken. It’s time we demand better from those who represent us.

Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc/Getty Images