House Democrat Proposes Abolishing Homeland Security Amidst Raids and Shootings

Rep. Delia Ramirez, a progressive Democrat from Illinois, has introduced legislation to abolish the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and halt all immigration detentions nationwide. The proposal, dubbed the "Reimagining Safety Act," comes in response to recent events, including a federal raid on the Washington D.C. home of fellow progressive Rep. Ilhan Omar and the shooting of Oscar Belgal by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in the Bronx.

Ramirez stated that these incidents demonstrate DHS's use as a "weapon," targeting individuals and elected officials. "It is clear that now is the time to reimagine our safety, dismantle DHS, abolish ICE, and end the use of broad authorities to circumvent our rights and due process," Ramirez told The Intercept.

DHS was established in 2001 following the September 11th terrorist attacks to consolidate intelligence gathering and domestic security operations. The proposed legislation would replace DHS with a new Department of Community Safety, focusing on violence intervention initiatives. Under Ramirez's plan, some DHS functions would be transferred to other departments: immigration enforcement would move to the Department of Justice, customs enforcement to the Treasury Department, and the Coast Guard to the Department of Transportation. The bill would also limit the Secretary of State's authority to designate foreign terrorist groups.

"DHS is not rogue," Ramirez asserted. "For 23 years, since its inception, DHS has been utilized by the government to target and persecute those they consider the public enemy — whether it is Muslim-Americans, Haitians escaping violence, Latinos yearning for a better life, or dissenting voices."

Federal agents from DHS's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agency executed a search warrant at Omar's residence as part of a multi-year criminal investigation into her immigration paperwork. According to former ICE director Tom Homan, federal agents presented evidence to a D.C. court, and a federal judge authorized the search. Omar has described the raid as a politically motivated weaponization of the justice system, while Republicans have previously questioned her immigration history and financial dealings.

During the 2026 midterm election cycle, several Democrats advocated for abolishing ICE in response to the Trump administration's immigration enforcement policies. Ramirez's bill faces an uphill battle, as Congress is currently in recess until after the Nov. 3 midterm elections, and its passage through both the House and Senate remains uncertain.