I’m taking action to rein in ICE

I'm taking action to confront the Trump Administration's lawless immigration enforcement and defend our Constitution.

Last week, I introduced new legislation to hold ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) accountable when their agents violate people's constitutional rights. It's called the ICE and CBP Constitutional Accountability Act, and it is about ending the culture of impunity that has taken hold under Donald Trump.

Under this administration, ICE and CBP agents have been empowered to trample basic freedoms — violating free speech, conducting searches without warrants, denying due process, and terrorizing communities across the country. And instead of reining this in, Republicans have poured massive amounts of money into these agencies with almost no accountability.

As Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, I led the fight against Republicans' so-called Big, Ugly Betrayal budget bill last year. That bill included nearly $75 billion in slush funds for ICE and another $70 billion for CBP — funding that Trump is now using to escalate a cruel enforcement campaign and tighten his authoritarian grip nationwide.

Our legislation changes the rules. Our legislation gives Americans the legal tools they need to sue ICE and CBP when their agents break the law and violate our constitutional rights.

These tools already exist to hold state and local law enforcement accountable if they violate your rights. It’s long past time that the same tools exist to hold federal agents accountable, too.

All Americans should be outraged that Trump's lawless federal agents are trampling the Constitution and spreading fear. If we allow ICE and CBP to operate above the law, we surrender the fundamental freedoms that define us as Americans.

This bill is about standing up for the Constitution, enforcing accountability, and making clear that no federal agency — and no president — is above the law.

Onward,

Jeff