Statement by U.S. Conference of Mayors on Enactment of Immigration Enforcement Funding Without Accountability Measures

Nation's Mayors Call for Bipartisan Immigration Reform

Washington, DC-Today, President Donald Trump signed into law a $70 billion package that will fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) through the end of his term without any requirement that the agencies reform their practices. In March the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) adopted two emergency immigration resolutions calling for the urgent reform of federal immigration enforcement procedures and the modernization of the immigration system. In May, the Conference sent a letter to Congress expressing deep concern about them approving an unprecedented expansion of funding without addressing longstanding issues related to accountability, transparency, and due process. In response to today's action, USCM President Todd Gloria, Mayor of San Diego, issued the following statement:

"America's mayors support secure borders, effective immigration enforcement, and an immigration system that works. Those goals are not mutually exclusive.

"Congress should not provide tens of billions of dollars in new funding to ICE and CBP without also requiring reforms that improve transparency, strengthen accountability, ensure due process, and establish clear professional standards.

"While Washington continues to debate immigration, cities are managing its real-world impacts every day. Local leaders understand that public safety depends on public trust. Trust is not a political issue. It is a public safety issue.

"Every day, mayors and local law enforcement work to build relationships with the communities they serve. Those relationships are essential to keeping cities safe and should not be undermined by federal enforcement actions that lack accountability or appropriate safeguards. Federal immigration enforcement agencies should be held to the same standards that communities expect of local law enforcement.

"America's cities, and our nation, have been built, strengthened, and enriched by generations of immigrants. Immigrants are essential to our workforce, our economy, our small businesses, and our long-term competitiveness. Our diversity remains one of our greatest strengths, driving innovation, economic growth, and global competitiveness. While our immigration system is outdated and in need of reform, enforcement alone cannot solve the challenges we face.

"The Conference has long advocated for fair and effective immigration reform that reflects our communities' needs and upholds our nation's values. We urge Congress and the Administration to come together and enact a bipartisan, 21st-century immigration system that supports families, strengthens communities, meets workforce needs, and delivers real solutions that move our country forward.

"The American people deserve an immigration system that is secure, fair, accountable, and functional. Cities stand ready to be part of that solution."