Secure America Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, the Republicans' reconciliation bill gives a blank check again to ICE and Border Patrol. Instead of reining in and reforming these two agencies that brought chaos and controversy to so many communities across our country, this bill instead provides $70 billion more to ICE and CBP without any guardrails or safeguards for the American public.

Now, in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, you already injected $140 billion into these two agencies. Money was used to rush agents through training, push them into the streets, to troll big-box store parking lots and target immigrants well beyond gang members and felons.

They called themselves law enforcement. What we saw from many agents is they were acting like a lawless mob with impunity and with a disregard for our humanity.

Now, I support a secure border. But before I give one more cent to ICE and Border Patrol, all we are asking for are commonsensical reforms, such as taking off the masks, turning on the cameras, identifying themselves, having independent investigations, staying away from polling places, and obtaining a warrant before going into our homes.

Instead, your bill ignores bipartisanship reforms, ignores high prices, ignores the war in Iran, and hands over billions more to ICE and CBP without any guidance on how to spend it and without any way to pay for it.

By voting for this reconciliation bill, you are not only giving a blank check to ICE and CBP. You are giving in to Donald Trump, and you are giving up on your responsibility to the stability of our economy, the debt of our country, and the safety of American communities.

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