In response to Congress passing the Department of Homeland Security funding bill that provides no funding for ICE and Border Patrol, Amy Fischer, Director for Refugee and Migrant Rights with Amnesty International USA, said:
“Today Congress ended the longest shut down in history and listened to the calls of millions of people across the country who have been demanding not one more dollar to ICE and Border Patrol. For the first time since the creation of DHS and ICE, Congress refused to rubber stamp the flow of billions of taxpayer dollars to agencies that terrorize our communities, violate the law, and abuse, torture, and kill our neighbors. ICE and Border Patrol’s violent actions have inflicted profound damage and violated human rights with impunity. The passage of this bill is a win for the rights and dignity of immigrant communities across the U.S.
“While we are heartened that lawmakers passed this funding bill without a single dollar for ICE and Border Patrol, we know that President Trump and his allies in Congress are now pursuing an alternative path to fund ICE and Border Patrol up to $140 billion dollars without reforms via the budget reconciliation process. We remain steadfast in our position that taxpayer dollars must not fund ICE and Border Patrol’s cruelty and human rights violations.
“This bill also fails to include the critical reforms that would hold ICE and Border Patrol to account. For communities around the country, the reality on the ground will stay the same and immigrant communities, and those who defend their rights, will continue to face violence at the hands of federal agents. Congress must still act to rein in the lawless actions of ICE and Border Patrol.”
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