The Daily BS • Bo Snerdley Cuts Through It!
The Daily BS • Bo Snerdley Cuts Through It!

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‘It’s un-American’: Ilhan Omar pushes bill to pull $140b from ICE, send it to communities harboring illegals

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BS BULLETIN:

  • Rep. Ilhan Omar’s “Make ICE Pay Act” would redirect nearly $140 billion previously appropriated to ICE and Customs and Border Protection.
  • The money would instead fund recovery efforts in communities affected by federal immigration enforcement operations.
  • Republicans immediately blasted the proposal, with Sen. Jim Banks calling it “un-American.”

Rep. Ilhan Omar has introduced legislation that would take nearly $140 billion previously appropriated for federal immigration and border enforcement and redirect it to communities affected by ICE and CBP operations.

The Minnesota Democrat calls it the “Make ICE Pay Act.”

According to Omar’s office, the legislation targets funding allocated to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection through President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” and would redirect it toward a new recovery program.

Omar said: “ICE has been tearing through our nation, devastating our neighborhoods, our cities, and our businesses. Our communities deserve accountability. My Make ICE Pay Act will redirect ICE’s $140 billion budget to the communities they’ve hurt the most.”

The legislation would direct the Department of Housing and Urban Development to establish a grant program using $139,575,630,000 previously appropriated to ICE and CBP. The money could go to states, local governments, nonprofits and small businesses for economic relief, reimbursement of government expenses, education and psychological support.

But the bill goes further.

Omar’s office says the redirected money could also fund “investigations, commissions of inquiry, truth telling, record-keeping, and memorialization” related to immigration enforcement operations. The legislation specifically identifies communities in California, Minnesota, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, North Carolina and Oregon that experienced ICE or CBP surge operations.

Omar said Minnesota’s Operation Metro Surge caused nearly $700 million in economic damage and accused ICE of conducting “racist terror campaigns.” That characterization and the $700 million figure come from Omar and her office.

Republicans quickly attacked the proposal.

“This bill is un-American,” Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., wrote on X, arguing that the measure would defund law enforcement and transfer the money to communities resisting immigration enforcement.

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders also criticized the proposal, writing: “Defund ICE. Weaken the border. Then expect safer communities? That math isn’t mathing.”

The bill is backed by Democratic Reps. Angie Craig, Chuy Garcia, Rashida Tlaib, Chellie Pingree, Sydney Kamlager-Dove and Janelle Bynum.

With Republicans controlling Congress and the White House, the legislation faces substantial political opposition.

MY QUICK TAKE

Washington used to argue about whether to fund ICE.

Now we have reached the stage where someone has introduced a bill called “Make ICE Pay” that could use money originally appropriated for immigration enforcement to finance memorialization and truth-telling about immigration enforcement.

I don’t think Rush ever got that square on the bingo card.

DBS WIRE SOURCES:

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