Olszewski to Vote - Again - Against ICE Funding Without Safeguards
(Washington, DC) – Maryland Congressman Johnny Olszewski issued the following statement ahead of his vote against a two-week extension of funds for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees immigration enforcement agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP):
“As Americans, it is time that we say ‘enough’ to ICE – which is why I will again vote no on legislation that funds its operations without any new accountability measures.
Under the Trump Administration, ICE has repeatedly undermined public trust — including through wrongful arrests, the deportation of U.S. citizens, and a routine disregard for widely accepted law enforcement standards. Most recently, this reckless conduct has turned deadly, with two U.S. citizens – Alex Pretti and Renee Good – killed during federal enforcement operations in Minnesota. These tragedies were entirely preventable and demand our immediate action.
House Democrats put forward commonsense reforms that Americans overwhelmingly support: prohibiting the detention or deportation of U.S. citizens, requiring federal agents to clearly identify themselves, mandating body-worn cameras, establishing clear use-of-force standards, and protecting sensitive locations like schools and places of worship. These are basic safeguards that law enforcement agencies across the country already employ.
These reforms would provide DHS funding while also restoring some accountability and protections for civil liberties. Unfortunately, Republican leaders continue to reject these proposals, and as a result, I will be voting no.
Our message has been clear and consistent: no guardrails, no money—not for two weeks. Not for two days. Fundamental rights cannot wait to be part of a future negotiation: they must be provided now.
I support funding the government and avoiding shutdowns. However, I cannot justify, and will not vote in support of, writing a blank check to an agency whose actions are terrorizing communities, trampling on the Constitution, and putting lives at risk. Baltimore and cities across America deserve better.”
Congressman Olszewski added that he will continue working with colleagues from both parties to responsibly fund the government while ensuring DHS and ICE operate within the law and are subject to meaningful oversight and reform.
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