Kamala Harris Calls on Democrats to Oppose Increased Funding for ICE

In 2018, then-Senator Kamala Harris led a group of Senate colleagues in opposing the Trump administration's request for increased funding for immigration enforcement, including more detention beds and Border Patrol agents. In a letter addressed to the Senate Appropriations Committee, Harris urged her fellow senators to reject President Trump’s fiscal year 2019 funding proposal, which she deemed costly and ineffective. The letter highlighted concerns over the administration's approach to immigration enforcement, calling for a reduction in funding for ICE detention beds due to issues of limited oversight and inhumane conditions. Harris and her colleagues advocated for a different approach, suggesting that instead of expanding Border Patrol personnel, existing agents should receive better support through retention incentives, enhanced training, and improved operational guidance. This stance marked a significant contrast to a bipartisan Senate package that Harris and the Biden administration supported, which aimed to bolster Border Patrol staffing amid a dramatic increase in border encounters. Despite the ongoing crisis, the Biden administration has criticized Republicans for their lack of support for the proposed bipartisan agreement, which would increase the number of Customs and Border Protection personnel and expand ICE detention capacity from 40,000 to 50,000 beds. The administration argues that additional funding and comprehensive immigration reform are essential to address the challenges at the border effectively. Former President Trump, in response to the current administration's policies, emphasized his commitment to border security, vowing to "seal the border" and "stop the invasion" on his first day back in office, highlighting the stark differences in immigration strategies between the two administrations.