Public Rage Against ICE Sends Democrats Scrambling for a Response

"As protests against President Donald Trump's brutal crackdown on immigrants grow nationwide, Democrats in Congress are scrambling for a unified response to the violence brazenly displayed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol. Voters are demanding a response to the most recent deployment in Minnesota, where residents and local leaders say federal immigration patrols are disappearing people, brutalizing protesters and bystanders, and intentionally sowing chaos in the icy streets."

"The Melt ICE Act would remove the authority from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to incarcerate immigrants and dismantle the ICE's rapidly expanding network of roughly 200 jails, privately run prisons, and makeshift detention halls holding at least 73,000 people on any given day. It was introduced by Rep. Delia Ramirez and Rep. Yvette Clarke, representing districts in Illinois and New York hard-hit by Trump's so-called "immigration enforcement" surges."

"Designed to hamper Trump's mass deportation campaign as protests erupt nationwide, the bill comes as the House advances bipartisan legislation that would continue robust funding for ICE and deportations. Facing a January 30 deadline to fund the government, House Republicans advanced the DHS funding bill to a vote on January 22. If approved, the bill will be sent to the Senate."

Protests against President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown have intensified amid allegations that ICE and Border Patrol have disappeared people, brutalized protesters and bystanders, and sown chaos during a Minnesota deployment. A pair of Democrats introduced the Melt ICE Act on January 21 to remove DHS authority to incarcerate immigrants and to dismantle ICE's network of roughly 200 jails, privately run prisons, and makeshift detention halls that hold at least 73,000 people daily. The bill would redirect funds toward repairing damage caused by immigration raids and would impede mass deportation efforts. The House is simultaneously advancing bipartisan DHS funding that would maintain robust ICE operations. House Republicans moved the DHS funding bill to a vote on January 22 ahead of a January 30 funding deadline.

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