Liberty and Justice for All

Floor Speech

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Mr. ESPAILLAT. Thank you, Congresswoman Torres, for your leadership on this issue and convening us here tonight.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to forcefully speak against the Trump administration's horrific ICE abuses and to demand accountability for the deaths of 76 individuals that have died at the hands of DHS since the start of 2025. Whether in ICE detention or due to violence in our street, DHS is responsible for the deaths of 35 individuals--and one more today--this year.

The American public is outraged at the brutality of ICE, and they demand accountability. We demand accountability. For that reason, Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus went to court in order to access those detention centers so that we could exercise our oversight duties and make sure that the conditions are right and humane.

According to polls, 63 percent of Americans, both Democrats and Republicans, disapprove of the way ICE is enforcing immigration laws.

We all know ``ICE is out of control''; ``ICE estan fuera de control.''

In July, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia, and Homeland Security Democrats held an oversight forum in Houston after the killing of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo.

Like Lorenzo's family, dozens of families across the country continue to mourn the unjust death of their loved ones. We know these deaths could have been prevented. That is why the Hispanic Caucus has continued to push for guardrails in all ICE funding, requiring for ICE agents to identify themselves, no masks during enforcement, body cameras recording all enforcement actions, limits on firearms used in civil immigration operations, and protections of sensitive locations, and many more.

In less than a year, Republicans have given nearly a quarter of a trillion dollars to immigration enforcement without any guardrails. Not one. The CHC will continue to demand reforms and accountability.

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