Dem senator wants ICE funding redistributed from ‘deportation force’

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) said on Friday that she wants to slash funding for a division of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that she called “unnecessary” and “inhumane.”

“Let’s stop taking the money away from where it’s needed and stop giving it to this unnecessary deportation force,” Cortez Masto told Hill.TV correspondent Jamal Simmons.

“What I’ve seen this administration do is take the money from that important function that is important for our national security and take that fund and give it to an inhumane, unnecessary deportation force that is going after separating families,” Cortez Masto said, adding that there are “rogue agents” within ICE that are “abusing their power.”

“They should be held accountable,” she said.

The Nevada Democrat said she wants to use ICE funds to immediately reunite families separated after illegally crossing into the U.S. via the border with Mexico.

Last week, Cortez Masto introduced a bill alongside Democratic Sens. Kamala Harris (Calif.) and Jeff Merkley (Ore.) that would expedite family reunification and establish a “permanent system of coordination” to ensure the protection of detained immigrants with children. The measure also would redirect $50 million in appropriations from ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations to fund provisions in the legislation.

In her interview with Hill.TV, Cortez Masto discussed the bill, saying she wants to ensure that the Department of Homeland Security continues to have the funding it needs to conduct important investigations.

— Tess Bonn