Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) criticized U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, calling it “Trump’s domestic army” and urging conservative lawmakers to join Democrats in opposing what he described as federal intimidation of local communities.
Sanders Criticizes ICE Overreach
On Sunday, in a post on X, Sanders shared a clip of a speech in which he argued ICE has strayed far from its core mission.
“So what ICE has become is not an agency of immigration and customs enforcement,” he said.
He added, “What it has become is Trump’s domestic army.”
Sanders pressed conservatives, saying, “[If my] conservative friends, people who year after year get up here and say, we believe in small government… finally stand up and say that in America we do not need a domestic army terrorizing communities throughout this country.”
He also criticized Congress for approving an additional $75 billion in funding for ICE, on top of its existing $10 billion annual budget.
“Instead of funding a domestic army which breaks the Constitution every day, we should be putting that money to help the people of our country get the healthcare that they need,” Sanders said.
Sanders wrote on X, “ICE is no longer an immigration enforcement agency. It has become Trump’s domestic army.“
Democrats Target ICE Funding Amid Government Shutdown
On Sunday, Sanders and other Democrats pushed Congress to cut billions in funding for ICE and redirect it to restore health care programs affected by President Trump’s spending law.
Sanders introduced an amendment to remove ICE’s $75 billion increase, while Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) criticized ICE’s operations and called for reforms or defunding.
President Trump said the Department of Homeland Security would only intervene in protests in Democrat-led cities if local authorities requested help, though federal buildings would still be protected.
Trump blamed Democrats for the partial government shutdown, warning it could cost the economy 1.5 percentage points of GDP.
Several government departments faced funding lapses as the Senate passed a $1.2 trillion package, but the House had yet to vote.
Democrats blocked parts of the bill over DHS funding, including $10 billion for ICE, following fatal shootings of U.S. citizens by federal officers in Minnesota.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo Courtesy: Sheila Fitzgerald on Shutterstock.com
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