Vindman Stands Up for Safety & Security, Votes Against Bill That Could Fund Stafford ICE Mega Detention Center

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Representative Eugene Vindman (D-Va.-07) released the following statement after voting against the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations bill.

"My family and I came to this country as a refugee fleeing Soviet Ukraine with just $800 in our pockets, and sadly, my story is no longer possible in Trump's America. We are a country of immigrants and let me be clear: we can have secure borders without being cruel.

"After conversations with the Stafford community about a proposed ICE mega detention center that could house up to 10,000 detainees, it is clear that this would be cruel to the core and unacceptable in our community.

"I am also particularly concerned about the life, health, and safety in and around these detention centers. To date, I have received zero guarantees from ICE that this facility would avoid potential locations near hospitals, schools, or daycare centers. I will always fight for the health, safety, and security of my neighbors and could not support this appropriations bill as written."

BACKGROUND

Last year in July 2025, DHS received $150 billion under H.R. 1, which is now being used to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with zero accountability or oversight from the Republican-held Congress.

In early January, Vindman secured more than $2.75 million in federal funding for law enforcement and public safety projects in Virginia's Seventh District as part of a U.S. House-passed Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 appropriations bill.

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