***IMMEDIATE ACTION***DEMOCRATS MUST STAND STRONG AGAINST ICE TERROR MACHINE [03-04-26]
In the 17 days since Congress’ impasse over ICE/CBP funding, there’s been no movement. When House Democrats offered to fund all other DHS agencies, the Speaker refused to bring their proposal to the floor; instead, he plans a Thursday vote on almost the exact same bill rejected in the Senate. MAGA Senators have also been unyielding, requiring Democrats to negotiate directly with President Trump, who’s made them no real offer.
Despite widespread opposition to ICE tactics, DHS has done nothing to tone down the agents, whose behavior looks more like armed-to-the-teeth invading armies than civil servants enforcing civil, not criminal, statutes. Moreover, the abuses, both on the streets of American cities and in ICE’s concentration camps, continue unabated because they’re funded by the reconciliation bill’s huge slush fund.
While there may be somewhat fewer agents in Minneapolis, their flaunting of court orders and abusive behavior continue unabated, along with the inhumane conditions in its concentration camps and the cruelty of locking up children there. Their slush fund makes escalating abuses easier, allowing them to buy more unnecessary armaments, like tasers, and greatly increase their detention capacity by buying up unused warehouses.
We must thank Democrats for pushing for ICE’s terror machine reforms and for rejecting MAGA demands that they fold because of Trump’s Iran war.
MAGA behavior makes clear, however, that more than ironclad restrictions on ICE/CBP behavior; ICE’s removal from our communities; ending its blank-check brutality; and creating clear guardrails against warrantless arrests, profiling and enforcement at sensitive locations like schools and hospitals is needed. Democrats must additionally demand the claw-back of funding allowing aggravation of its cruel, abusive behavior.
ACTION One: Call the Senate and the House.
SEN. MERKLEY: Portland office: 503-326-3386 | D.C. office: 202-224-3753
SEN. WYDEN: Portland office: 503-326-7525 | D.C. office: 202-224-5244
REP. BONAMICI: Oregon office: 503-469-6010 | D.C. office: 202-225-0855
REP. BENTZ: Medford office: 541-776-4646 | D.C. office: 202-224-3753
REP. DEXTER: Portland office: 503-231-2300 | D.C. office: 202-224-3753
REP. HOYLE: Eugene office: 541-465-6732 | D.C. office: 202-225-6416
REP. BYNUM: Oregon City office: 503-387-8651 | D.C. office: 202-225-5711
REP. SALINAS: Salem office: 503-385-0906 | D.C. office: 202-225-5643
