Congressman Bishop Opposes Funding Bill that Fails to Protect Americans’ Civil Rights and Security

WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) was unable to support a full-year, Fiscal Year 2026 funding bill for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which includes Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP). Today's bill offered no changes to address concerns that a majority of Americans have expressed regarding ICE's aggressive actions which have hurt, and even killed, American citizens and law-abiding immigrant families.

"The Homeland Security funding bill should keep our communities safe from both foreign adversaries and violent masked agents roaming our streets. We cannot let Congressional Republicans use a costly, aimless, and unauthorized war against Iran as an excuse to scare Americans' off from demanding ICE and CBP reform. We can protect our boarders without sacrificing our civil rights," said Congressman Bishop. "Furthermore, this funding bill continues to weaken counterterrorism and cybersecurity. Last year the President drove out nearly 1,000 seasoned Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency employees and following U.S. military strikes on Iran, we are at greater risk for cyberattacks."

Congressional Democrats have already introduced a bill that would fund all other elements of DHS, except ICE and CBP, until guardrails are put in place to address Americans' concerns. Congressman Bishop remains committed to these commonsense measures which are:

• Require agents to get a warrant from a judge before kicking in someone's door
• No masks
• Clear identifying information on uniforms
• Prohibit operations at sensitive locations like schools, houses of worship and polling places
• End racial profiling
• Establish use of force policy in law
• Allow independent investigations into misconduct
• Mandate use of body-worn cameras

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