Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Garamendi – Representing California’s 3rd Congressional District
WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman John Garamendi (CA-08) joined Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), and nine members of Congress to introduce the Freeze ICE Act to stop the rapid recruitment of unvetted individuals at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Since the start of the Trump administration, ICE has hired more than 12,000 new personnel and slashed agent training from 22 weeks to just 47 days putting untrained federal agents on the streets. The effort comes as masked ICE agents continue to make grave errors, including arresting U.S. citizens, entering homes without judicial warrants, and using excessive force against people across the country.
“Over the past year, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has hired more than 12,000 agents with insufficient training and little accountability, leading them to terrorize American streets and tear apart communities. Congress needs to pass the Freeze ICE Act to impose a hiring freeze at ICE and put proper accountability measures and procedural reforms in place to ensure the safety of Americans,” said Congressman Garamendi. “I am gravely concerned about the steps Trump has taken to try and turn ICE into a secret police force, something that should never happen here in America. I thank Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher for her leadership in reining in ICE before even more grave mistakes are made.”
In addition, to Representatives Garamendi and Fletcher the bill was sponsored by Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Congressman Danny Davis (IL-07), Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Congresswoman Valerie Foushee (NC-04), Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10), Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04), Congresswoman Robin Kelly (IL-02), and Congresswoman Norma Torres (CA-35) joined Congresswoman Fletcher as original co-sponsors of this legislation.
Congressman John Garamendi recently voted no on the DHS funding bill that would have given ICE even more money for their slush fund. Last year, Congressional Republicans directed an additional $75 billion in funding to ICE in the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which enabled ICE to ramp up its mass deportation campaign. ICE is now the highest-funded federal law enforcement agency.
To read the full text of the bill, click here.
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