Until 1849, the Bureau of Indian Affairs existed under the now-dissolved Department of War. Regardless of intent, the placement of the only federal agency dedicated to Native Americans under the Department of War implicitly labeled Native Americans as a military issue. Though the agency now exists under the Department of the Interior, the origins of the agency can never be erased. That history informs how Sharice Davids, an indigenous woman running for Congress in Kansas’ 3rd, views the issue of immigration. She believes that just as it was inappropriate then to place the only Native American-oriented federal agency under the Department of War, it is inappropriate now to place America’s immigration agencies under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). And that is why she is among the over 100 candidates and officeholders across the nation joining the call to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Davids is far from the only Native American candidate who wants to abolish ICE. Indigenous Democrats James Singer, who is running for Congress in Utah’s 3rd, and Deb Haaland, who is running for Congress in New Mexico’s 1st, are also ICE abolitionists. Both have earned the Democratic Party nomination and will appear on the November general election ballot, while Davids is competing in a five-way primary that will be decided August 7. If elected, all three would make history. Deb Haaland and Sharice Davids would become the first Native American congresswomen. Davids would become the first LGBTQ Native American congresswoman. Singer would become the first Native American congressman from Utah.

Overall, a record number of Native Americans and in particular Native American women are running for public office this year. Given that New Mexico’s 1st is a blue district that went to Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump by 17 points, Deb Haaland is near-guaranteed to become the nation’s first indigenous congresswoman. Should Sharice Davids win her primary, she has a decent chance of victory in November – Kansas’ 3rd is an Obama-Romney-Trump district with a vulnerable Republican incumbent. James Singer is the longest shot, as Utah’s 3rd is an R+25 district where Clinton received only 23% of the vote. However, he hopes to win by bucking the typical centrism of red-state Democrats and instead running as a proud progressive who will inspire young voters and other members of the Democratic base to turn out to the polls in November.

No matter the results, the fact that multiple indigenous Democrats are calling for the abolition of ICE is a historic victory for progress and justice in the United States. The abolish ICE movement has brought together a coalition of immigrants, people of color, and allies taking direct action to stop the federal government’s detention and deportation machine. The effectiveness of the movement is already showing. Since April, the share of Americans who disapprove of ICE has increased by 11 points, and a plurality of Democratic voters support the proposal. The Overton Window is shifting. ICE will be abolished.