Martha Stewart likens ICE law enforcement to living under George Orwell’s dystopian ‘1984’

WASHINGTON, DC: Lifestyle and media personality Martha Stewart drew sharp attention this week by comparing US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) law enforcement operations to living in a dystopian society straight out of George Orwell’s ‘1984’.

Stewart’s comments reflect growing cultural tensions around federal immigration enforcement under the Trump administration.

ICE presence ‘like big brother’ in American town

While generally known for her culinary and lifestyle brand, she took the opportunity to voice her unease about federal agents operating in her hometown of Bedford, New York.

“I have been an extremely optimistic person my entire life, and I’m feeling a little bit down. I’m not happy with what’s going on with immigration,” Stewart told USA Today during a pre-Super Bowl interview on Saturday.

“We got a notice in my town of Bedford, New York, that ICE was in the schools, and that’s extremely depressing,” the TV personality continued.

“This is a beautiful suburban town, an hour from New York City, and it’s crazy,” Stewart added, before going on to reference 'Big Brother' from late English novelist George Orwell’s dystopian novel '1984'.

“Big Brother watching is not an easy way to live,” the retail businesswoman said.

“Big Brother” is a term that has become synonymous with authoritarian overreach, extreme government surveillance, and loss of privacy. It is derived from one of Orwell’s most famous concepts in '1984', set in a dystopian future where the government has total control over everyone’s lives.

Martha Stewart calls America a ‘beautiful place’

After being asked if she feels “comfortable speaking out about stuff like this,” Stewart replied, “I’m not going to get terribly political and criticize anybody individually, but America’s a beautiful place.”

“We have had such a beautiful life here, and we have to continue to have that,” she added.

Last month, Stewart took to Instagram to complain about law enforcement cracking down on what she claimed were “peaceful demonstrations.”

“I am disheartened and sad each and every day that we cannot demonstrate our sympathy for the beleaguered, that we are told immigrants –which most of us are or descended from — are unwelcome, that we cannot show our frustration in peaceful demonstrations and that we can be attacked and even killed by Federal troops,” Stewart wrote.

Beyond her ‘1984’ comparisons, Stewart also took aim at what she described as federal crackdowns on demonstrations she characterized as peaceful.

In social media posts, she lamented that individuals expressing sympathy for immigrants were being treated harshly, and that people felt “unwelcome” for showing frustration with enforcement actions.