'Squad' Democrat Introduces Bill to Abolish ICE and Border Patrol and Dismantle DHS
Rep. Delia Ramirez's Reimagining Safety Act would replace DHS with a Department of Community Safety and bar federal money for border walls starting in fiscal 2027.
A House Democrat has put in writing what some on the left have been saying for years: end ICE, end Border Patrol and break up the Department of Homeland Security.
Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., formally introduced the Reimagining Safety Act on Tuesday, according to Fox News. The bill would replace DHS with a new Department of Community Safety, abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement and eliminate Customs and Border Protection, including Border Patrol, the agency that secures the border and screens travelers and goods.
The bill would move the pieces around. TSA and the Coast Guard would go to the Department of Transportation. FEMA and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency would go to the new Department of Community Safety. Customs functions would shift to Treasury, and some immigration functions to the Justice Department. Fox reports that the bill would still eliminate CBP's current enforcement structure.
It goes further. The bill would prohibit federal funding for border walls beginning in fiscal year 2027 and require the closure of the military detention center at Guantanamo Bay within 60 days of enactment. Its original cosponsors include fellow "Squad" members Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Rep. Adelita Grijalva of Arizona and Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts.
Ramirez said in an earlier statement that "every day, Americans wake up with a new reason to dismantle DHS, reimagine safety and build something that honors our shared humanity."
The administration answered sharply. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said: "Radical leftists are calling to defund the police and abolish DHS. It's NEVER going to happen." He said the department's 270,000 employees are keeping Americans safe. A DHS spokesperson said Ramirez should be thanking law enforcement for removing dangerous criminals from her district. The White House said "the contrast has never been clearer," pointing to what it called the most secure border in American history and 16 straight months of zero releases at the border.
One fact is worth keeping in view. Fox notes the legislation would have to pass Congress and be signed into law before taking effect, and none of its changes to immigration enforcement are in force. Still, a bill from a sitting member of Congress shows what some on the left want on the agenda, and voters decide who controls Congress on Nov. 3.