More than 100 Democratic lawmakers, including members of the Democratic Socialists of America, have signed a letter urging Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to publicly support the abolition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The letter, sent Monday, calls on the leaders to "leverage your positions to defund and dismantle this rogue federal agency."
The signatories, who include state senators, city council members, and other local officials, stated that the renewed push to abolish ICE is a response to the recent deaths of two individuals in ICE custody. They argue that ICE, an agency established in 2002, poses a threat to communities and democracy.
While Jeffries has not fully embraced the "Abolish ICE" slogan, he has supported measures such as requiring ICE agents to remove masks in Congress and has stated that he would not fund "Donald Trump’s violent mass deportation machine." A spokesperson for Schumer echoed this sentiment, stating that Schumer "led the longest shutdown in history to stop ICE’s abuses" and that the fight to end "killings, cruelty, and impunity" is ongoing.
The letter acknowledges recent efforts by congressional Democrats to block funding for ICE and Customs and Border Protection but asserts that further action is necessary. The lawmakers who signed the letter include State Sen. Julia Salazar, Assemblymember Diana Moreno, and City Councilmember Shahana Hanif, all of whom are DSA members.