I believe in strong border security, but the misconduct of ICE, CBP, and DHS agents has starkly illustrated how deeply flawed our immigrant laws are.

To be clear, much of what ICE is doing is illegal and improper. Deploying masked and anonymous agents to jump out of unmarked vans and conduct warrantless sweeps is illegal, as a number of courts have found. Violently assaulting peaceful and cooperating suspects in the course of arresting them is unwarranted and potentially a criminal assault. And of course, attacking and arresting non-violent protestors and other bystanders is grossly illegal. And yet we have witnessed ICE agents doing all of the above and much worse, with zero accountability or oversight. We must rein in the lawlessness and lack of accountability at ICE, and while the reassignment of former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem is a good start, additional guardrails are necessary to ensure that this agency abides by the law.

That’s why I’ve consistently voted against funding for ICE and sought answers from the Department of Homeland Security about the many documented instances of lawbreaking and misconduct by their agents. After the murder of Renee Good, I made a point to travel to Minnesota to hear directly from those on the ground and to visit constituents detained by ICE in California. I later introduced legislation to require DHS to give any evidence in ICE-related injuries and deaths directly to Congress and to support city governments when local law enforcement are forced to intervene as a result of ICE enforcement activity. 

But even the legally permissible conduct of ICE agents over the past year has demonstrated that there are major flaws in our immigration laws. Someone who has lived here for 30 years, paid taxes, married a U.S. citizen and had kids born here should not be deported. Children and their parents should not be separated. Those seeking asylum on valid grounds should have protections against deportation. We are long overdue for comprehensive immigration reform that is fair and humane but also emphasizes border security and preventing people from illegally entering this country.