Ranking Member Fleischmann's Opening Statement Highlighting the Importance of Fully Funding Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Hearing

Today, the Homeland Security Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee held a hearing to review the Fiscal Year 2023 budget request for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Subcommittee Ranking Member Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03) delivered the following opening statement underscoring the need to fully fund ICE so the agency can carry out its mission to enforce our laws and protect America.

"Thank you, Madam Chair, and welcome, Acting Director Johnson. I thank you for your testimony today as we discuss the Immigration and Customs Enforcement FY 2023 budget request. Before I begin, I'd like to offer my sincere thanks for your three decades of service, which go all the way back to the legacy Immigration and Naturalization Service."

"Immigration and Customs Enforcement is responsible for the enforcement of our nation's immigration, customs, and trade laws. Despite its rather straightforward mission, the men and women at ICE are often vilified just for enforcing the immigration laws because some of our colleagues are unable to get a majority of Congress to change the law."

"For the past few years, this Administration's budget request has decreased ICE's budget for Enforcement and Removal Operations or ERO. This year's request decreases ERO by almost nine percent -- largely by reducing funding for detention beds for both adults and families."

"Time and time again, those cuts are restored in conference because a bipartisan and bicameral coalition of Members understands that the enforcement of immigration law is not an optional exercise."

"Criminals, public safety threats, and yes, even some on the terrorist watch list are removed by ICE every year. It is irresponsible to advocate for defunding or even decreasing funding for enforcement actions that protect our community and our nation. We need a strong, effective, transparent, and accountable ICE, and we need to provide the necessary tools for ICE agents to do their jobs."

"Unfortunately, President Biden and DHS leaders have decided to tie the hands of ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations officers by releasing prosecutorial discretion memos to limit removals and enforcement actions to a narrow and arbitrary subset of individuals eligible for deportation."

"On one hand, the Administration tells us with a straight face that they need to exercise prosecutorial direction because they have limited resources, while on the other hand, they submit a request that decreases enforcement resources."

"You can't have it both ways."

"Those actions are contradictory and amount to little more than a smokescreen for the real purpose of the memos -- purposely reducing the enforcement of our nation's immigration laws."

"I have consistently advocated for a funding level that enables ICE to fulfill its law enforcement mission, including funding detention facilities."

"While we have sharp differences on this Committee about immigration enforcement, there is broad bipartisan agreement to robustly fund Homeland Security Investigations or HSI. Special agents of HSI do amazing work tackling some of the most heartbreaking cases -- including child exploitation investigations both here and abroad. They also investigate other bad actors in illicit transnational criminal networks, target migrants who are public safety or national security concerns, and disrupt predatory and illegal trade practices."

"Acting Director Johnson, please convey our thanks and appreciation for the work that the men and women of ICE are doing to protect this nation."

"I look forward to the discussion today."

"Madam Chairwoman, I yield back."

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