Rep. Garamendi Joins Colleagues in Opposing the Presence of ICE Agents at Airports

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Last week, Congressman John Garamendi (CA-08), a senior member of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, joined Congressmen Jesús "Chuy" García (IL-04), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Ro Khanna (CA-17), and 39 Members in a letter to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, and White House Border Czar Tom Homan firmly opposing the deployment of armed ICE agents to airports around the country.

In the letter, the Members emphasize that this "unprecedented and unnecessary action causes chaos and fear at our airports, fails to support TSA workers-whose pay Republicans in Congress have repeatedly blocked-or reduce security lines, and serves as an intimidation tactic to coerce Congress into passing harmful, anti-democratic legislation."

The Members said in the letter that "No President has ever sent armed ICE agents to airports. They are not qualified to screen passengers or manage airport security, and their lawless actions around the country underscore that their presence will cause confusion and fear at some of our nation's largest airports."

The Members reiterated their support for funding TSA, FEMA, and certain other DHS components while Congress negotiates necessary reforms to rein in ICE and CBP. The Members also asked a series of oversight questions to better understand the scope and rationale for this deployment.

Members signing this letter include: Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Becca Balint (VT-00), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Shontel Brown (OH-11), André Carson (IN-07), Greg Casar (TX-35), Gil Cisneros (CA-31), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Danny Davis (IL-07), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Hank Johnson (GA-04), Robin Kelly (IL-02), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Christian Menefee (TX-18), Kelly Morrison (MN-03), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-00), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Terri Sewell (AL-07), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Darren Soto (FL-09), Greg Stanton (AZ-04), Mark Takano (CA-39), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).

A copy of the letter can be found here.

# # #