2 days ago
Incensed House Democrats plan ICE funding war
House Democrats, incensed at being repeatedly denied access to ICE facilities, are warming to the idea of using the appropriations process to force policy changes at the agency if they retake Congress.
Why it matters: ICE-focused protests and pressure from their grassroots are forcing Democrats to inch away from their instinctively defensive crouch on immigration. But there is internal division on how far to go.
"You've got a situation where our base is demanding more and more of us every day," said one House Democrat, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
The lawmaker added that "a number of us have been told by constituents that we have to be willing to get shot" while trying to conduct oversight at ICE facilities and "be able to make news out of it."
Many Democrats are still scarred by GOP attacks on the #AbolishICE movement and hesitant to take steps that appear to be aimed at dismantling or downsizing the agency.
State of play: Just over the weekend, House Democrats in California and New York were refused access to ICE facilities in their respective states to perform checks on detained migrants.
Reps. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.) and Norma Torres (D-Calif.) have alleged that ICE officials even sprayed "some type of irritant into the air to push us back."
Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.) is being prosecuted by the Justice Department for allegedly assaulting law enforcement — which she denies — during a visit to an ICE facility in her state during which she was initially refused entry.
What they're saying: Congressional Hispanic Caucus chair Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) said he believes Democrats should "reassess the funding possibilities. Absolutely."
He said of being denied access to an ICE facility this weekend: "They ask for money, right? And then ... I go there and they don't allow us to go and check out the facilities."
Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), a member of Democratic leadership, told Axios, "Everybody's on board with the fact that what's going on right now is not right, and ... reform is needed."
"This administration is ... rounding people up by mistake — they don't care," said Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), chair of the center-left New Democrat Coalition. "We can't let that happen."
Zoom in: Key Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee signaled that ICE is on the table as part of a broader effort to scrutinize Trump administration spending.
"There will be a review of everything ... looking at what are the kinds of things we can do to get our government back on track," said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the panel's ranking member.
Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.), the ranking member of the homeland security subcommittee, told Axios: "We're going to look at all funding. ... What's happening right now is really bad."
Between the lines: A clash is already brewing over how far to go — with some progressives eyeing actual funding cuts as moderate border hawks draw a bright red line in opposition to that idea.
"Some of us would like to see it completely broken down ... I've been talking about reducing funding," said Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.).
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) criticized "hypocrisy" among Democrats, "where folks want to campaign against ICE when we're in the minority, but then when we're in the majority, we continue to funnel unfettered funds with absolutely no guardrails."
Centrist Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), a member of the Appropriations Committee, told Axios he is "sure there will be a push," but he "will not support reducing ICE" funding.
The bottom line: Even centrists like Cuellar aren't ruling out supporting potential policy riders to appropriations bills to try to reform the agency.
"It's a policy. The men and women, they're the same. It just depends what policy comes down," he told Axios.
Ramirez, for her part, was clear-eyed that "you're not going to see an abolishing of ICE" even though "some of us might want that."
