Ilhan Omar Faces Backlash Over Bill to Redirect Nearly $140 Billion From ICE and Border Patrol

Rep. Ilhan Omar is facing sharp Republican criticism after introducing legislation that would redirect nearly $140 billion previously allocated to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection toward communities affected by federal immigration operations.

The Minnesota Democrat introduced the “Make ICE Pay Act” alongside Rep. Angie Craig. The legislation would take $139.6 billion previously appropriated for ICE and CBP and use the money to establish a federal grant program administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Omar said the proposal was developed partly in response to the Trump administration’s “Operation Metro Surge” in Minnesota. She argues that federal immigration operations have imposed economic and social costs on communities and that those areas should receive federal assistance.

Under the proposal, states could distribute money to nonprofits, small businesses and other organizations affected by immigration enforcement operations. The funding could also support schools, health care and psychological services, additional local-government expenses, investigations and memorial projects.

The grant program would be overseen by HUD’s inspector general and would expire three years after its creation. Omar described the legislation as an effort to hold ICE accountable and redirect immigration-enforcement funding toward communities she says have been harmed by federal operations.

Republicans quickly condemned the proposal. Sen. Jim Banks of Indiana called the bill “un-American” and accused its supporters of taking money away from law enforcement while directing it toward communities where illegal immigrants live. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders also criticized the proposal, arguing that reducing ICE and border funding would undermine public safety.

John Nagel, the Republican challenging Omar in Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District this November, also attacked the legislation and accused the congresswoman of pursuing policies hostile to law enforcement. His comments came as immigration remains a major issue in the district’s midterm campaign.

Omar and the bill’s supporters present the legislation differently, arguing that communities should be reimbursed for costs they attribute to federal immigration operations. The bill is also co-sponsored by Democratic Reps. Chuy Garcia, Rashida Tlaib, Chellie Pingree, Sydney Kamlager-Dove and Janelle Bynum.

The legislation faces substantial obstacles in the Republican-controlled Congress. Its introduction nevertheless establishes another clear dividing line between Democrats seeking to restrict or redirect immigration-enforcement resources and Republicans supporting President Trump’s expanded enforcement policies.

The controversy comes as Omar remains one of the most outspoken congressional opponents of the Trump administration’s immigration agenda. With Republicans controlling both Congress and the White House, the Make ICE Pay Act is unlikely to advance without significant changes in congressional support.