Congresswoman Delia Ramirez is set to introduce a bill that would impose strict limits on the use of force by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. The proposed legislation, dubbed the "DHS Use of Force Oversight Act," aims to address concerns about excessive force used by law enforcement at the Department of Homeland Security.
Ramirez, who has been vocal in her criticism of ICE's actions, claims that the department has shown a lack of accountability and adherence to constitutional guidelines. She points to the recent killing of Renee Good, a 37-year-old woman killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, as a catalyst for her efforts.
Under the proposed bill, DHS officers would be required to use only "objectively reasonable" force, and to attempt to identify themselves and issue verbal warnings before using force. The legislation also mandates that DHS collect and maintain consistent data on use-of-force incidents, with details published online.
Ramirez has stated that her bill is a minimal step towards curbing the department's violence, but she emphasizes the need for further action, including potentially defunding or dismantling the agency.
The proposed legislation has garnered support from several Democratic lawmakers, who share concerns about ICE's actions. However, its passage in the Republican-majority House of Representatives appears uncertain, given the Trump administration's history of endorsing such policies.
The push for reform comes as many Americans call for greater scrutiny of ICE and other law enforcement agencies. Recent polling suggests that a majority of voters favor abolishing ICE or significantly reducing its powers.
Ramirez believes that Democrats have an obligation to represent their constituents and take steps to protect them from harm. She argues that the use-of-force policy is not only a matter of public safety but also a constitutional imperative, citing concerns about accountability and abuse of power within DHS.
The introduction of this bill marks another attempt by lawmakers to address long-standing criticisms of ICE's actions, with some advocating for more comprehensive reforms or even the agency's complete abolition.
Ramirez, who has been vocal in her criticism of ICE's actions, claims that the department has shown a lack of accountability and adherence to constitutional guidelines. She points to the recent killing of Renee Good, a 37-year-old woman killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, as a catalyst for her efforts.
Under the proposed bill, DHS officers would be required to use only "objectively reasonable" force, and to attempt to identify themselves and issue verbal warnings before using force. The legislation also mandates that DHS collect and maintain consistent data on use-of-force incidents, with details published online.
Ramirez has stated that her bill is a minimal step towards curbing the department's violence, but she emphasizes the need for further action, including potentially defunding or dismantling the agency.
The proposed legislation has garnered support from several Democratic lawmakers, who share concerns about ICE's actions. However, its passage in the Republican-majority House of Representatives appears uncertain, given the Trump administration's history of endorsing such policies.
The push for reform comes as many Americans call for greater scrutiny of ICE and other law enforcement agencies. Recent polling suggests that a majority of voters favor abolishing ICE or significantly reducing its powers.
Ramirez believes that Democrats have an obligation to represent their constituents and take steps to protect them from harm. She argues that the use-of-force policy is not only a matter of public safety but also a constitutional imperative, citing concerns about accountability and abuse of power within DHS.
The introduction of this bill marks another attempt by lawmakers to address long-standing criticisms of ICE's actions, with some advocating for more comprehensive reforms or even the agency's complete abolition.
This bill is super necessary considering all those cases where they've gone too hard on people. It's about time someone held ICE accountable... I guess it's a good start 
, but what's the point of just passing this if there's no actual funding cut? They can still just redirect funds to another agency and pretend everything's fine 
. Can't we just abolish the whole thing already? 
like they already do too much force on innocent ppl 
her bill is a good start but defunding or dismantling ICE is where it's at lol can't wait to see how this plays out in the house 
like why are teachers still expected to deal with behavioral issues without proper training or support? I mean, ICE agents aren't just using excessive force on undocumented immigrants, they're also putting lives at risk. Same thing happens in our school hallways when students feel like their problems aren't being heard.
. We need to make sure that those in power are held accountable for their actions and that we're not just passing the buck around. And let's be real, if Democrats can't even get a bill through the House, what chance do we have for reform in our schools? It's time for us to start making some noise about the issues that matter most to us - like ensuring our teachers are equipped with the resources they need to succeed 
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I mean, Renee Good was just a normal person who got caught up in the wrong place at the wrong time and now she's gone... that's not right! 
We need to hold our law enforcement agencies accountable for their actions. This bill sounds like a good start, but it's not enough 
. I want to see real change, not just some token reform. Defunding or dismantling ICE is the only way to go in my opinion 
. We can't just sit back and let these agencies continue to abuse their power without consequences 
. Democrats need to step up and represent us, not just their own interests 
. We deserve better!
I get that Congresswoman Ramirez is trying to hold ICE accountable, but come on, this bill is like a Band-Aid solution. We need to cut the thing down at the root or it'll just keep happening over & over. 
And what about all the other people who get hurt? The data collection is a good start tho, maybe they can actually make a change with that. 
, I'm so hyped that Rep Ramirez is finally taking action against those harsh ICE policies!!! 
It's about time we start holding our law enforcement agencies accountable for their actions! 
We need to make sure that these agencies are following the rules and not just making things up as they go along. And honestly, I'm so done with the lack of accountability within DHS. It's time for some real change! 
. The fact that some lawmakers are actually supporting this bill shows us that there's still a lot of work to be done. And let's be real, the Republican-majority House is just gonna water down any meaningful reform if they can... 
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and I'm all for making sure they're held to some basic standards of accountability 
. How do they define that exactly? And what happens when someone disputes the "reasonableness" of the force used? 
I mean, collecting and publishing data online is a good start, but it's not enough. We need to see actual change on the ground, not just lip service from politicians 
. It's time for our lawmakers to step up and represent their constituents, rather than just going through the motions 
, it could help hold people accountable. I think it's great that more Democrats are supporting her bill 
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I think Delia Ramirez is on the right track with this new bill! The thing is, we've been hearing about all these crazy stories of ICE agents overusing their power for ages 
. They've been all about keeping ICE's powers strong since Trump was in office 
. We need to make sure our law enforcement agencies are held accountable for their actions. But defunding or dismantling ICE entirely? That's a whole different can of worms 
? The ones who keep voting for more funding and support for ICE despite all the criticism? 
Those guys need to be held accountable too, not just the agency itself 
! It's crazy how they just keep getting away with it and hurting innocent people 