Senator Murray Calls on Senate Republicans to Work with Democrats on Serious Reforms to Rein in ICE and CBP

Murray: "We cannot fund DHS if we do not rein in DHS."

***WATCH: Senator Murray's remarks***

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered the following remarks at the Senate Democratic Leadership press conference regarding negotiations for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations bill.

Senator Murray's remarks, as delivered, are below:

"Last week, we wrapped up 11 of our 12 funding bills, and passed those bills that rejected the devasting cuts from Trump and the House Republicans, it ended the slush fund continuing resolution, and it took Congress' power of the pen back from Russ Vought, and rejected every far-right poison pill.

"But our work is not done-there is one bill left: DHS. Because we cannot fund DHS if we do not rein in DHS.

"That is a clear, hard line. Law enforcement cannot be lawless-but that's exactly what we have been seeing from ICE and CBP.

"What is happening in Minneapolis has not been subtle, federal agents are going door to door-asking for papers. And just as often ignoring papers-taking in people who are legally seeking asylum-like little 5-year-old Liam and his father, who a judge forced them to release this week.

"We have people that have done nothing wrong being abducted by masked agents with no warrant, shipped across the country, and herded into overcrowded detention centers, for who knows how long. Some of them-taken in Minneapolis mind you-are being left out in the street in Texas, no way to get home when ICE is forced to grapple with the reality that they were here legally all along.

"The response to this lawless catastrophe has been understandable: outrage from everyone who believes this is a country where law, order, due process, and basic human decency matter s.

"People have protested peacefully, people have documented the chaos as legal observers, and the Trump Administration's response to that has only grown more unhinged and infuriating.

"We saw protesters tear gassed-even as they were pinned on the ground. We saw the shocking murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, and we heard the Administration lie every step of the way. They lied about little Liam and his dad being here illegally. They lied about Alex Pretti brandishing a weapon and called him a terrorist.

"Just this week, we all saw a video of a woman who was abruptly cut off and pulled over, guns immediately drawn on her, nearly arrested before the local police stepped in and saved her from ICE. And yet-the Trump Administration is trying now to lie about that too.

"Enough. We are not going to fund a rogue Department with its unchecked agents and officers.

"We are going to have accountability at DHS or there will not be Democratic votes to fund a lawless agency. If Republicans refuse to make the changes the American people are demanding-they are forcing a Republican shutdown of DHS.

"The chaos, the brutality-all of it has happened at the explicit direction of this President and a Republican Congress that wrote him a blank check. If Republicans want Democratic votes to fix this-then they need to understand that half-measures won't cut it. It really is that simple.

"This is somber stuff-legal immigrants being brutalized, American citizens being detained, American citizens being shot and killed by our own immigration enforcement. The Trump administration needs to take these abuses seriously and understand that what Democrats are demanding is reasonable and it is necessary.

"End the roving patrols. Hold federal agents accountable and hold them to the same standards as local law enforcement on the basic things like use of force. Get 'masks off,' get body cameras on, and ensure proper identification.

"So, my message to Trump and this entire administration: Stop the lying. Stop slandering American citizens and lawful immigrants. Stop insulting our intelligence and spitting on the Constitution. This country sees right through this. The people recognize that Democrats are fighting to protect basic, American principles and basic American rights.

" My message to Republicans: We are at the table, and we are ready to negotiate serious measures to rein in these rogue federal agencies. We are focused on getting a bill-and it has to be a bill that reins in the abuses we are seeing done by ICE and CBP.

"Americans deserve accountability, we will settle for nothing less."

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