Ilhan Omar Proposes Bill to Block $140 Billion in ICE Funding

By Staff, Agencies

Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar is preparing to introduce federal legislation that would strip immigration enforcement agencies of nearly $140 billion in funding, redirecting the money toward communities she says have been devastated by aggressive raids under the Trump administration, according to The Guardian.

The bill, set to be filed this week, would block funds previously earmarked for Immigration and Customs Enforcement [ICE] and Customs and Border Protection [CBP] under Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Instead, the money would flow to state governments, local authorities, nonprofits and small businesses affected by federal immigration operations.

Omar accused ICE of running "racist terror campaigns" that have damaged cities, businesses and constituents across the US for more than a year. She said the bill was designed to hold the agency accountable and prevent similar operations from happening again.

Omar's congressional district includes Minneapolis, where federal agents launched Operation Metro Surge in December, leading to nearly 4,000 arrests. Two US citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were fatally shot during the operation.

Omar estimated the raid cost her community close to $700 million in economic damage.

The legislation would also apply to a series of similarly named operations carried out elsewhere, including Operation Midway Blitz in Illinois, Operations Swamp Sweet and Catahoula Crunch in Louisiana, Operation Catch of the Day in Maine, Operation Charlotte's Web in North Carolina and Operation Black Rose in Oregon.

Under the proposal, grants could cover economic relief, reimbursement of local operational costs, support for schools, and psychosocial assistance for affected residents.

The bill also allocates funding for formal investigations, record-keeping, and memorialization projects tied to enforcement operations.

The program would reportedly be run through the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Inspector General over a three-year period.

ICE arrests reached 49,571 in July, the highest monthly figure recorded during Trump's second term, marking a 15 percent rise from June and a 70 percent increase since February, according to data cited by the Associated Press.

The surge came despite assurances from Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin during his confirmation hearings that the agency would adopt a more measured enforcement posture.

A Harvard CAPS/Harris poll of 2,100 registered voters conducted last month found that 47 percent of Americans view ICE unfavorably, compared with 39 percent who view the agency favorably, reflecting growing public unease over its tactics.