New Democratic-Led Bill Proposal Would Prevent ICE From Detaining and Deporting U.S. Citizens

A new bill introduced by U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) seeks to prevent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from detaining or deporting U.S. citizens.

The legislation, titled the Stop ICE from Kidnapping U.S. Citizens Act, would establish penalties for ICE officers who unlawfully detain citizens and place them into immigration proceedings.

"ICE is acting like a rogue force, kidnapping and disappearing people off the streets with no due process," Jayapal said in a statement. "Arresting and detaining U.S. citizens is illegal — and deporting U.S. citizens is illegal, full stop."

"But since Trump took over," Jayapal continues, "ICE has been consistently breaking these laws and going after U.S. citizens, including young children. Congress must act to make it abundantly clear, with absolutely no grey area, that ICE cannot do this and ensure that agents who do act outside of their authority are held accountable."

Recent cases have raised concern among lawmakers and civil rights advocates. In April, 19-year-old U.S. citizen Jose Hermosillo was detained for 10 days in Arizona's Florence Correctional Center. According to court documents, Hermosillo was arrested "at or near Nogales" without immigration documents.

Hermosillo, who has intellectual disabilities, says he became disoriented after a medical emergency in Tucson and was arrested after approaching a Border Patrol officer for help. He alleges officers coerced him into signing documents he could not read, falsely identifying him as a Mexican national.

In another highly publicized case cited by Jayapal, two U.S. citizen children were deported to Honduras with their mother following an ICE check-in. Immigration attorney Gracie Willis said the mother wanted her children, one of whom has cancer, to remain in the U.S. but was denied the opportunity to consult with legal counsel or make custody arrangements.

A separate case involved a two-year-old citizen deported under similar circumstances. A federal judge, Terry A. Doughty, expressed "strong suspicion that the government just deported a U.S. citizen with no meaningful process."

Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin, told Axios on Wednesday that recent reports of citizens wrongly being arrested are false — and that "the media is shamefully peddling a false narrative" to demonize ICE agents.

"DHS enforcement operations are highly targeted and are not resulting in the arrest of U.S. citizens," McLaughlin said. "We do our due diligence."

The proposal is co-sponsored by several Democrats and will likely face a long-shot bid in the GOP-controlled House.