Congress Must Stop ICE Abuse

CONGRESS MUST REFORM DHS AND IMPOSE CLEAR LIMITS ON ICE AND BORDER PATROL As your constituent, I urge Congress to reform the Department of Homeland Security and impose enforceable statutory limits on Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol. As documented in “Six Ways to Reform ICE and CBP” published by Doomsday Scenario in January 2025, federal immigration enforcement has repeatedly exceeded its proper role through excessive force, unclear interior jurisdiction, weak accountability, and inadequate training. Congress must act to restructure DHS, constrain enforcement authority, and restore constitutional safeguards. ICE AND BORDER PATROL HAVE USED FORCE BEYOND THEIR PROPER ROLE ICE and Border Patrol agents have used aggressive detention practices, chemical agents, and crowd control tactics in civilian settings far from the border. These actions resemble domestic policing without the training, oversight, or standards required of police departments. Such practices place constitutional rights at risk and erode public trust. CONGRESS MUST REQUIRE IDENTIFICATION AND OPERATIONAL TRANSPARENCY Immigration enforcement agents have at times operated without visible identification or clear disclosure of authority. This prevents accountability and heightens fear in affected communities. Congress must require durable personal identification, standardized reporting, and public disclosure of enforcement operations. INTERIOR ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY MUST BE NARROWED BY LAW Border Patrol’s authority to operate within 100 miles of the border extends deep into the interior of the United States. This broad zone lacks clear limits and invites misuse. Congress must redefine interior jurisdiction and require judicial warrants for forcible entry or detention. HIRING AND TRAINING STANDARDS MUST BE STRENGTHENED Current hiring and training practices allow gaps in screening for prior misconduct and insufficient preparation for civilian encounters. Congress should require comprehensive background checks, cross referencing of misconduct databases, and standardized professional training before deployment. INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY ARE REQUIRED Immigration enforcement lacks sufficient independent oversight. Mandatory body worn cameras, independent complaint review, and civil liability for wrongful detention are necessary to align federal enforcement with basic accountability principles. DHS STRUCTURE MUST BE REFORMED TO CLARIFY MISSIONS DHS combines immigration enforcement with disaster response, cybersecurity, and transportation security, creating conflicting missions and weak oversight. Congress must restructure DHS to separate immigration enforcement into a clearly defined agency with explicit constitutional limits. CONCRETE STEPS CONGRESS MUST TAKE (1) ENACT legislation setting clear interior jurisdiction limits and requiring judicial warrants for ICE and Border Patrol operations away from the border. (2) REQUIRE visible identification, standardized uniforms, and public reporting for all immigration enforcement actions. (3) CODIFY strict use of force rules, including limits on chemical agents and crowd control tactics. (4) MANDATE higher hiring standards, comprehensive training, and cross checks against misconduct databases. (5) REQUIRE body worn cameras, independent oversight bodies, and civil liability for wrongful detention. (6) RESTRUCTURE DHS to separate immigration enforcement from other homeland security functions under clear statutory authority. Thank you.