3 days ago
8
Washington — Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Chris Coons of Delaware are introducing caller authorities Thursday aimed astatine creating an autarkic watchdog committee to behaviour oversight of national migration enforcement agencies.
The bill, named the ICE Accountability Act, comes arsenic Democrats seek reforms to rein successful Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection pursuing 2 deadly shootings by national agents past period during the administration's migration crackdown successful Minneapolis.
"After the Trump administration's migration agents changeable and killed U.S. citizens, the American radical are demanding accountability. This caller measure volition make the toughest autarkic watchdog to instantly rein successful ICE's panic and study straight to Congress," Warren said successful a connection to CBS News. "The Senate indispensable enactment present to halt ICE's violence, and immoderate caller constraints connected DHS backing indispensable person superior teeth similar this caller autarkic show to enforce the law."
Sen. Elizabeth Warren is seen successful the U.S. Capitol arsenic the Senate voted connected a authorities backing bundle connected Thursday, January 29, 2026.
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Democrats person been pushing for weeks for reforms to the nation's migration enforcement operations, portion pledging to reason immoderate backing for the Department of Homeland Security until changes are made. Funds for DHS are acceptable to lapse connected Saturday, unless an statement tin beryllium reached. DHS oversees ICE and CBP, which includes Border Patrol.
Amid negotiations with the White House, the brace of Democrats is pitching the measure arsenic an enforcement mechanics to spell alongside the changes they're seeking.
The measure would found an ICE and CBP monitoring committee wrong the legislative branch, wherever a nonpartisan enforcement manager would oversee monitoring staff. Four monitors, selected jointly by legislature leaders from some parties, would ballot connected the findings. Though DHS's Office of Inspector General and the Government Accountability Office service akin oversight functions, the Democrats emphasized the independency of the committee they are aiming to establish. The lawmakers compared the committee to panels that investigated the 9/11 attacks and the 2008 fiscal crash.
The measure would besides assistance the committee entree to migration operations done ride-alongs with agents and visits to detention facilities, on with the quality to reappraisal assemblage camera footage, complaints from civilians and DHS documentation. It would necessitate the committee to nutrient monthly reports, clasp hearings and acceptable up a nationalist website with information connected migration operations. Under the bill, monitors would besides beryllium allowed to question judicial enforcement if violations occur.
Democrats person sought a fig of reforms successful caller talks, including restricting migration agents from wearing masks and requiring them to show an ID and usage assemblage cameras. Democrats person besides demanded agents beryllium banned from entering backstage spot without judicial warrants and privation to enforce a "reasonable" use-of-force policy, portion allowing authorities and section jurisdictions to analyse and prosecute usage of excessive force.
Coons said "reforms are meaningless without oversight and enforcement."
"By creating a strong, autarkic committee to oversee ICE and CBP, our measure is the adjacent measurement towards ensuring American migration enforcement abides by the laws and values of our country," Coons said successful a statement. "As we've seen successful communities nationwide, autarkic oversight commissions for instrumentality enforcement work, and it's conscionable commonsense that those enforcing our migration laws should conscionable the aforesaid standards."
English (US) ·