A new bill is set to be introduced in the US Congress that would impose basic limits on the use of force by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Representative Delia Ramirez, a Democrat from Illinois, plans to introduce the "DHS Use of Force Oversight Act," which aims to curb what she describes as "lawlessness" and "violence" exhibited by ICE agents.
According to Ramirez, the bill would require all DHS officers to use only the amount of force that is objectively reasonable, and to attempt to identify themselves and issue a verbal warning before using force when possible. The legislation also requires DHS to collect and maintain consistent data related to the use of force and to publish a report on its website that includes data relating to each incident where force was used.
The bill has 11 co-sponsors, including Representative Seth Maguire, and is seen as an attempt to address concerns over ICE's actions following the killing of Renee Good by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Jonathan Ross in Minneapolis. Ramirez argues that the bill is "the bare minimum" to limit the violence perpetrated by DHS agents.
The introduction of this legislation comes as President Trump has been widely criticized for his handling of immigration issues, including his administration's efforts to deport undocumented immigrants and its use of force against protesters. Despite having Republican support, it remains to be seen whether the bill will pass in a Republican-majority House of Representatives.
Ramirez views her bill as an interim step to limit the violence DHS has unleashed, and she said Democrats should also withhold federal funds from the department with the ultimate goal of dismantling it. She believes that blaming victims is par for the course with DHS and that the agency was designed intentionally to give agents "massive latitude" to do whatever they want in the name of protecting against domestic terrorism.
The Intercept reported extensively on excessive use of force cases by federal agents since Trump's enforcement surge, documenting a pattern of agents tear-gassing, beating, and shooting less-lethal munitions at both undocumented immigrants and US citizens who spoke out against the administration's deportation machine.
According to Ramirez, the bill would require all DHS officers to use only the amount of force that is objectively reasonable, and to attempt to identify themselves and issue a verbal warning before using force when possible. The legislation also requires DHS to collect and maintain consistent data related to the use of force and to publish a report on its website that includes data relating to each incident where force was used.
The bill has 11 co-sponsors, including Representative Seth Maguire, and is seen as an attempt to address concerns over ICE's actions following the killing of Renee Good by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Jonathan Ross in Minneapolis. Ramirez argues that the bill is "the bare minimum" to limit the violence perpetrated by DHS agents.
The introduction of this legislation comes as President Trump has been widely criticized for his handling of immigration issues, including his administration's efforts to deport undocumented immigrants and its use of force against protesters. Despite having Republican support, it remains to be seen whether the bill will pass in a Republican-majority House of Representatives.
Ramirez views her bill as an interim step to limit the violence DHS has unleashed, and she said Democrats should also withhold federal funds from the department with the ultimate goal of dismantling it. She believes that blaming victims is par for the course with DHS and that the agency was designed intentionally to give agents "massive latitude" to do whatever they want in the name of protecting against domestic terrorism.
The Intercept reported extensively on excessive use of force cases by federal agents since Trump's enforcement surge, documenting a pattern of agents tear-gassing, beating, and shooting less-lethal munitions at both undocumented immigrants and US citizens who spoke out against the administration's deportation machine.
this is so overdue!! we need to hold our law enforcement agencies accountable for their actions, especially when it comes to immigration cases 
it's not acceptable that ICE agents feel like they have a free pass to use excessive force and just "do whatever" with the public's trust 
if we want to fix this, we gotta take away their power and transparency is key 
! We've seen way too many instances of ICE agents using excessive force on innocent people, like Renee Good, and it's time for some accountability 
. I mean, who has that kind of power? It should be used to protect us, not hurt us 
. This bill seems like a good starting point - requiring them to use only what's reasonable and trying to identify themselves before using force is common sense 
. And collecting data on these incidents will help expose any abuse 
. Let's hope it passes and helps change the culture of fear around ICE 
. We need more transparency and accountability, especially when it comes to our laws enforcement agencies 
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I'm so glad someone's finally speaking up about this 
. I mean, we're supposed to be a country that values human rights, but it feels like our government's more worried about keeping people in line than doing what's right 
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, but this bill sounds like a good start 
. It's about time we held them to some standards 
. I just hope it doesn't get watered down in the middle 
. We need to see real change, not just some token gesture 
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. I'm all for border security, but not at the cost of our values or human lives 
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. Maybe this bill can be a step towards real change 
like, what's next? them reporting to congress about all those times they used force on peaceful protesters? 
. And honestly, I think it's kinda cool that Rep Ramirez is pushing for more oversight and potentially even dismantling the agency altogether 
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The idea of limiting the use of force by ICE agents is super necessary 
considering all those incidents where people got hurt or killed. It's crazy that we still need a bill to regulate this, but I guess it's a start 
. The fact that there are already 11 of them is promising 
. I mean, who wants to be shot or beaten by someone in a uniform? 
Not me, and not anyone else 
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It's just not right. The idea of requiring DHS agents to use only reasonable force is simple but effective. And the part about collecting data on use of force? That's like, basic accountability. We need more of that in our institutions, especially when it comes to law enforcement. I'm not sure what the chances are of this bill passing, given the House is Republican-majority and all, but I think it's a step in the right direction. Maybe we'll finally see some real change with this one... 
I mean, Renee Good's death was a wake-up call for real... like, how much more do we need to see before something gets changed?! 
I love that Delia Ramirez is pushing for this, though... she's all about holding people accountable! 
DHS has gotten away with some crazy stuff for far too long. i mean Renee Good's murder by an ICE agent was a wake-up call, but it took years of protesting and calling out the system to get even a glimmer of change. the fact that Rep Ramirez is trying to introduce legislation like this is a step in the right direction 
. but at the same time, i worry about the "dismantle DHS" part of it... what does that even mean? is it gonna lead to more problems or just a bunch of bureaucratic red tape 
. Collecting data on these incidents is a must, because, clearly, we need to see what exactly our agents are doing with their guns 
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. And can we please, for the love of all things sane, dismantle ICE? 
, let's hope it passes and finally brings some sanity to our immigration policies 
Like, what's the point of having a bill if nobody's gonna enforce it tho? I guess it's a start tho 
when I hear that there's gonna be some real change on the table for ICE agents! This new bill is like a breath of fresh air 
, especially after everything we've seen with the way they've been handling these situations. I mean, come on, trying to identify yourself and issuing a verbal warning? That sounds like basic human decency to me 
, I can see why Rep. Ramirez is pushing so hard on this bill. It's not just about limiting the use of force, it's about holding these agents accountable for their actions 
? Who knows, but I'm hyped for the possibility of some real change 
Let's hope this bill passes and finally starts bringing some accountability to those DHS agents 
it's about time we hold our law enforcement agencies accountable for their actions. I mean, can you imagine if police officers were allowed to just shoot anyone they suspected of being undocumented? It would be a disaster! 
The fact that we still have an ICE exists because of the Trump administration's hardline stance on immigration, and it's time we hold them accountable 
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