Padilla Rails Against Republican Reconciliation Bill, Pushes Amendment for DHS Enforcement Reforms

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee and a member of the Senate Budget Committee, condemned Republicans' partisan bill to provide Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) with an extra $70 billion without necessary reforms. Padilla also forced a vote on his amendment to the budget reconciliation bill that would require ICE agents to wear body cameras while on-duty.

"Donald Trump proudly admitted he doesn't 'think about Americans' financial situation,' and this budget reconciliation bill proves Republicans in Congress don't either. Because of Trump's war in Iran and harmful economic policies, inflation is rising, gas prices in California have hit $6 a gallon, and families are struggling to afford basic necessities. But instead of working to lower costs or prevent corruption - like Trump's anti-weaponization slush fund - Republicans are finding partisan workarounds to the appropriations process to hand another $70 billion to an out-of-control ICE and CBP with no reforms, no guardrails, and no accountability for the abuses and violence they've been emboldened to carry out under Trump's mass deportation scheme. This is on top of the more than $100 billion these agencies already have remaining from last year," said Senator Padilla. "This bill is a slap in the face to struggling Americans everywhere. It includes no relief for working families facing higher costs, just more money for unchecked enforcement and political favors for Trump. Make no mistake - while Republicans fight to protect Donald Trump, Democrats are fighting for working people and the basic accountability they deserve."

The Republican partisan reconciliation bill allocates an additional $70 billion to ICE and CBP to carry out President Trump's inhumane mass deportation agenda. Padilla forced a vote on an amendment specifying that at least $300 million of the ICE funding in the reconciliation bill must be used to ensure that all ICE officers and agents wear activated body-worn cameras while engaging in immigration activities, and that such footage be properly stored and made available to Congress. The amendment failed on a party line vote, 46-53, with all Republicans rejecting the most basic transparency and accountability measures.

Padilla emphasized the need for the amendment as a commonsense response to the chaos spurred by ICE and CBP agents in communities nationwide - highlighting the deaths of Renee Good, Alex Pretti, and Ruben Ray Martinez, American citizens whose peaceful protests were met with violence from ICE and CBP personnel.

"Too often, we've heard one story from federal agents, only to learn the truth later on from camera footage - as was the case in the shootings of Renee Good, Alex Pretti, and Ruben Ray Martinez," said Senator Padilla. "Body cameras are already required by state and local law enforcement agencies across the country. They keep agents accountable, while protecting the subjects of law enforcement actions, members of the public, and officers themselves."

Padilla has been a vocal critic of Republicans' attempts to provide additional funding to ICE and CBP without any guardrails, Trump's out-of-control mass detention and deportation agenda, Trump's vanity projects, his attempted use of taxpayer funds to reward his allies and January 6^th insurrectionists, and Republicans' misguided spending priorities. Padilla slammed Republicans' partisan reconciliation bill and called for his colleagues to reject it. Last month, Padilla denounced the same bill, highlighting the Trump-created affordability crisis across the country. Padilla reiterated his concerns that the Republican-proposed budget reconciliation bill would pour even more funding into ICE and CBP without necessary reforms. In April, Padilla forced a vote on his amendment that would have rejected giving more funding to agencies that are sitting on funding from the previous reconciliation bill. Republicans defeated the amendment 46-52.

Video of Padilla's remarks is available here.

Transcript of Padilla's remarks is available below:

Thank you Mr. President.

My amendment will specify that at least $300 million of the ICE funding in the Judiciary title must be used to ensure that all officers and agents wear body-worn cameras while engaging in immigration enforcement activities.

Body cameras are already required by state and local law enforcement across the country. It has been for years in many jurisdictions, and what we've learned from that experience is that it is not just an important tool for transparency; it helps keep agents accountable.

It protects both the subjects of enforcement actions as well as law enforcement officers themselves.

DHS has said that somehow they want to implement body cameras but don't have the resources to do it-that's despite sitting on more than $100 billion of money that they haven't spent already.

So, therefore, this amendment would give them the specific funding that they claim they need.And I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

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