Scott Votes Against GOP Bill to Expand ICE Funding and Immigration Enforcement

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Bobby Scott issued the following statement after voting against the GOP's budget reconciliation bill:

"Instead of focusing on lowering costs and improving the lives of working families, Republicans are advancing a bill to give $70 billion more to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and immigration enforcement efforts. Americans have witnessed disturbing abuses of authority by ICE agents who have arrested and detained American citizens and legal permanent residents, pulled people from their cars, homes, and workplaces without warrants or probable cause, and even deported American citizens.

"While the bill no longer includes specific funding for Donald Trump's extravagant White House ballroom or a slush fund to benefit violent insurrectionists, it still lacks safeguards to prevent federal funds from being used for those purposes and the bill remains completely unacceptable. Congress should be focused on ensuring ICE follows the law, not giving it billions more in funding after Republicans already handed the agency a staggering $75 billion increase in Donald Trump's Big Ugly Bill last year. The American people deserve a Congress focused on lowering costs and protecting their rights, not escalating fear and abuse of power."

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