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Several Democratic lawmakers in the United States Congress are pushing for an initiative to dismantle the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and establish a new agency that would operate under the Department of Justice.
According to the agency EFE, Congressman Ro Khanna, a progressive Democrat from California, is leading the effort and stated that his party will vote against the funds allocated to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), arguing that "the ICE budget is literally going to triple."
Khanna denounced that the new budget plan adds $18 billion annually for four years to the agency's regular resources, which already amount to about $10 billion per year.
"We need to vote to cut ICE funding. Frankly, we need to dismantle ICE and start a new federal agency under the Department of Justice. It is unacceptable for any Democrat to vote for this bloated budget," he stated.
The lawmaker argued that the Democratic opposition is growing in response to the increase in the size and power of ICE, which now has about 22,000 agents following the hiring of 12,000 new officials, a 120% increase
This growth is a result of the law signed last year by President Donald Trump, which transformed the agency into the largest security organization in the country, with an estimated budget of 75 billion dollars, surpassing that of many armies around the world.
"I want to ensure that all Democrats oppose this. We cannot fund an agency that detains American citizens, commits abuses, and violates the human rights of immigrants," Khanna said.
Political pressure against ICE intensified following the death of Renee Good, a 37-year-old American citizen who was shot by an agent during an operation in Minneapolis on January 7.
The case sparked national protests and renewed the debate on the excessive use of force.
A survey by YouGov and The Economist recently published revealed that for the first time a majority of Americans (46% to 43%) supports abolishing ICE, which was established in 2003 by former President George W. Bush following the September 11 attacks.
Khanna insisted that the country needs "a fair, professional agency accountable to the Department of Justice, not an uncontrolled police force."
He also stated that if the Democrats regain control of Congress after the midterm elections, they will launch a formal investigation into the deaths of migrants in ICE custody.
The Democratic bloc also introduced a digital tool called "ICE Dashboard," a website to document alleged abuses and receive reports from affected citizens and migrants.
"If you witness human rights violations committed by agents, report it and we will investigate," Khanna said.
Similarly, this Thursday an internal memo from ICE was revealed, authorizing its agents to enter private homes without a judicial order, according to information released this Thursday.
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