Lawmakers urge Schumer and Jeffries to support abolishing ICE

More than 100 Democratic state lawmakers, City Council members and other local officials sent a letter Monday to Senate and House minority leaders urging them to publicly support abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The letter, obtained by City and State, was signed by Democratic Socialists of America members including state Sen.

Julia Salazar, Assemblymember Diana Moreno and City Councilmember Shahana Hanif.

The signers said the push follows two recent deaths of individuals in ICE custody. They noted that ICE has existed only since 2002 and argued it poses a threat to communities and democracy. "We applaud recent efforts by congressional Democrats to block funding to Trump’s ICE and Border Patrol, but we must go further," the letter stated.

party leaders One House minority leader said ICE must be dramatically reformed, that immigration enforcement should be fair and humane, and that Democrats would not fund certain enforcement measures. A Senate minority leader spokesperson said the leader had led the longest government shutdown in history to stop ICE abuses and that the fight continues.