House of Representatives approves Homeland Security bill, despite ICE abuses
The news sparked dozens of criticisms, given that ICE is involved in controversial events, such as the death of Renee Good at the hands of an immigration agent
The vote on The vote, 220 to 207, with seven Democrats joining nearly all Republicans, came amid growing outrage over its violent, heavy-handed tactics in Minnesota and elsewhere, intensified by the death of Renee Good, a 37-year-old US citizen, in Minneapolis earlier this month at the hands of an immigration agent. The DHS measure funds the Coast Guard, ICE, CBP, FEMA, TSA, and other agencies through the end of the current fiscal year, September 30. Democrats demanded a separate vote on the DHS funding bill to allow for a public debate on their objection to the Trump administration's harsh enforcement tactics. This DHS Funding Bill for fiscal year 2026 provides an additional $400 million for ICE's detention budget, increasing it from $3.4 billion to $3.8 billion. billion.
This money ICE to continue massively expanding its detention infrastructure in local, state, and federal jails, military bases, warehouses, and more, according to analysts.
ACLU denounces excessive ICE budget
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) fiercely criticized the passage of the bill that would add billions to the staggering $170 billion in funding for the “One Big Beautiful Bill” Act for immigration enforcement, while ICE's approval rating reaches an all-time low.
“This bill also comes amid public fear and outrage in response to widespread abuses and violence by ICE and the Border Patrol, including his continued and escalating attack on Minneapolis. Recent public opinion polls following the murder of Renee Good in Minneapolis show that ICE's approval rating is at its lowest level since President Trump took office in January 2015,” the organization stated. If passed in the Senate, it insisted, the bill would represent a stamp of approval for ICE, even as the agency continues to operate with impunity and a growing disregard for constitutional rights.In response to this news, Kate Voigt, senior policy advisor at the ACLU, stated: “The House vote to overfund ICE, without meaningful accountability measures, is completely out of step with polls showing that a majority of voters oppose ICE and Border Patrol's attacks on our communities.” "The bill fails to rein in ICE and Border Patrol at a time when they are engaged in an unprecedented assault on our rights, safety, and democratic way of life. The billions of dollars in funding in this bill will only encourage the continued arrest of our neighbors, both immigrants and American citizens, regardless of the cost to our communities, our economy, and the integrity of our Constitution," he insisted.
Betrayal from the House
Human rights groups Fight for the Future and accused Mijente elected officials who voted today to approve additional funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) of betrayal “amid ICE's continued and deadly terrorist raids across the country.”
“Today, seven Democrats joined Republicans in voting for a proposal that would further strengthen the violent agency, ICE, by increasing DHS funding, which inevitably includes an expansion of surveillance technology. Gillen, Don Davis, and Vicente Gonzalez,” the organizations said in a statement. The ACLU's senior policy advisor stated: “The House vote in favor of excessive funding for ICE, without meaningful accountability measures, is completely out of step with polls showing that a majority of voters oppose the attacks by ICE and the Border Patrol on our communities.” “The bill fails to rein in ICE and the Border Patrol at a time when they are engaged in an unprecedented assault on our rights, security, and democratic way of life. The billions of dollars in funding in this bill will only encourage the continued arrest of our neighbors, both immigrants and US citizens, regardless of the cost to our communities, our economy, and the integrity of our Constitution,” she insisted. Betrayal from the House: Human rights groups Fight for the Future and Mijente accused elected officials who voted today to approve additional funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) of betrayal “amid the “Continuous and deadly ICE terrorist raids across the country.”
“Today, seven Democrats joined Republicans in voting for a proposal that would further strengthen the violent agency, ICE, by increasing DHS funding, which inevitably includes expanding surveillance technology. The Democrats who supported the package were Representatives Jared Golden, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Henry Cuellar, Tom Suozzi, Laura Gillen, Don Davis, and Vicente Gonzalez,” the organizations said in a statement.

