A Growing Call for an End to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, But Democrats are Stalling.
Support for abolishing ICE has surged in the wake of Renee Nicole Good's killing by an officer and reports of violent conduct by federal agents across the US. Despite this, many Democratic lawmakers are resisting calls to abolish the agency, opting instead to reform it.
The latest polls show that a significant majority of Americans support ending ICE, with 42% saying they back abolition and 49% opposing it. A recent survey found that 46% of respondents favor abolishing the agency, while 43% oppose doing so.
However, only a handful of Congressional Democrats have publicly supported abolishing ICE, and even then, their proposals are focused on reforms rather than complete elimination. Some lawmakers, like Senator Jeff Merkley, are calling for the removal of the DHS Secretary and passage of bills that would limit ICE's powers and force agents to display their identities.
In the House, some Democratic lawmakers, such as Rep. Ilhan Omar and Rep. Shri Thanedar, have proposed legislation aimed at reining in ICE's activities. However, so far, they have failed to consolidate around a list of demands or put pressure on their party leadership to take action.
The leader of Democrats in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, has also expressed support for an investigation into Good's death but has stopped short of calling for reforms to ICE. Similarly, the House Appropriations Committee chair, Tom Cole, is optimistic about a deal that could delay voting on DHS funding until later this year.
It remains to be seen whether Democrats will ultimately take action to end ICE or reform it significantly. With the agency facing increasing scrutiny and public pressure, the clock is ticking - with the Jan 30 appropriations deadline looming, lawmakers face an ultimatum: act now or risk a partial shutdown of the government.
Support for abolishing ICE has surged in the wake of Renee Nicole Good's killing by an officer and reports of violent conduct by federal agents across the US. Despite this, many Democratic lawmakers are resisting calls to abolish the agency, opting instead to reform it.
The latest polls show that a significant majority of Americans support ending ICE, with 42% saying they back abolition and 49% opposing it. A recent survey found that 46% of respondents favor abolishing the agency, while 43% oppose doing so.
However, only a handful of Congressional Democrats have publicly supported abolishing ICE, and even then, their proposals are focused on reforms rather than complete elimination. Some lawmakers, like Senator Jeff Merkley, are calling for the removal of the DHS Secretary and passage of bills that would limit ICE's powers and force agents to display their identities.
In the House, some Democratic lawmakers, such as Rep. Ilhan Omar and Rep. Shri Thanedar, have proposed legislation aimed at reining in ICE's activities. However, so far, they have failed to consolidate around a list of demands or put pressure on their party leadership to take action.
The leader of Democrats in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, has also expressed support for an investigation into Good's death but has stopped short of calling for reforms to ICE. Similarly, the House Appropriations Committee chair, Tom Cole, is optimistic about a deal that could delay voting on DHS funding until later this year.
It remains to be seen whether Democrats will ultimately take action to end ICE or reform it significantly. With the agency facing increasing scrutiny and public pressure, the clock is ticking - with the Jan 30 appropriations deadline looming, lawmakers face an ultimatum: act now or risk a partial shutdown of the government.