Ranking Member Jayapal Statement on DHS Funding

WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal, Ranking Member of the Immigration, Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee, released the following statement regarding the appropriations package, including funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which will likely come to the House Floor for a vote this week. 

“While this DHS spending bill includes a handful of reporting requirements to the Appropriations Committee, as well as some funding for body cameras and inspections, it simply does not meet the moment we face in this country with the lawlessness of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents. I understand that this is due to the complete refusal of Republicans to hold this Administration accountable. However, without real accountability and guardrails, I simply cannot support this bill.

“We have seen ICE and DHS descending on cities across this country, racially profiling, and rounding up immigrants and US citizens alike — many of whom have committed no crimes. We have watched in horror as they have dragged people out into the snow and as they have shot and killed US citizens. As they foment this terror and chaos on our streets, 37 people have died in ICE custody since Trump came back to office. Meanwhile, across the country, over 70,000 people are being incarcerated in immigration jails run by private, for-profit prison contractors and being denied due process and bond hearings in Trump’s mass detention effort that dozens of judges have said is not lawful. All of this is dangerous — not just for immigrants but for every single American worried about the erosion of Constitutional rights. 

“As I have said over and over again, I simply cannot vote to give another cent to ICE and CBP until we have real, enforceable guardrails in place to end lawless enforcement, including requiring DHS to get a warrant and end the use of masked agents, to end detention abuses by ending the use of private, for-profit prisons, and to rein in DHS by ensuring that independent investigations can be conducted and meaningful consequences put into place for those who violate constitutional rights. Continuing to fund this agency without these guardrails is an affront to the Constitutional rights of US citizens and immigrants alike, and we must not be complicit in this.”

Issues: Immigration