Rep. Ilhan Omar Blasts $70 Billion ICE Funding as ‘Inhumane’ and ‘Reprehensible’ on House Floor

Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN) delivered a fiery speech on the House Floor opposing a massive $70 billion funding increase for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). This comes on the heels of an already bloated $85 billion slush fund approved for ICE during the last budget reconciliation, a sum that has only fueled more abuse and lawlessness.

Omar did not mince words. She called the funding push “inhumane, illegal and reprehensible,” underscoring how ICE has weaponized taxpayer dollars to terrorize immigrant communities, especially Black and Brown residents in her own district. She cited “Operation Metro Surge,” a campaign marked by warrantless street and home raids, which have left families shattered and communities living in fear.

The congresswoman pointed to two chilling examples of ICE’s deadly recklessness: the daylight murders of Renée Good and Alex Pretti by agents acting with impunity. She also condemned the ongoing practice of ripping children from their families and sending them to detention centers far from home, a trauma that continues to haunt countless communities.

Omar framed these abuses as part of a broader pattern of federal overreach and blatant disregard for civil rights. “Our communities are still recovering from the devastation caused by the federal occupation and the blatant trampling of the rights we, as Americans, hold dear,” she said.

Her message was clear: Congress must stop enabling this rogue agency with more funding. “We cannot send this rogue and unaccountable agency another cent,” Omar declared, urging her colleagues to vote NO.

This battle over ICE funding is not just about dollars — it’s about whether the United States will continue to tolerate systemic violence and lawlessness under the guise of immigration enforcement. Omar’s stand shines a light on the urgent need for accountability and an end to the abuses that have become routine under this administration.