U.S. House Rep. Eric Swalwell is sounding the alarm to all Americans that on April 30 every single Republican member on the House Judiciary Committee voted to continue allowing Donald Trump to detain and deport U.S. citizens at will. All Republicans on the Committee universally voted against an amendment that would have blocked Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from using federal taxpayer funds to detain and deport U.S. citizens.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal introduced the amendment, telling the Committee (video) it “simply states that none of the funds in this bill may be used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain or deport U.S. citizens. Whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican, I hope we can all agree that U.S. citizens should never be detained by ICE or any agency conducting civil immigration enforcement. They certainly should not be deported. This should not be a partisan issue. It’s about protecting the most basic Constitutional rights of U.S. citizens.”
In late January, three U.S. citizens who were out shopping in Milwaukee — a toddler, his mother and grandmother — were detained and sent to an immigration center by ICE after they were overheard speaking Spanish.
In late April, three children who were born in the U.S. (video) were sent to Honduras with their mothers. One of the children has cancer. According to the families’ lawyers, the women were arrested during routine check-ins at Immigration and Customs Enforcement offices.
On April 8, Jose Hermosillo, immigration authorities wrongfully incarcerated a 19-year-old U.S. citizen in Arizona, claiming he was an undocumented immigrant. He was held for 10 days at Florence Correctional Center, a privately-run immigration detention facility, before being released on April 17.
On April 17, a Florida Highway Patrol trooper arrested a 20 year old American citizen who was then held in a Florida jail cell on ICE’s orders after being charged under a new, restrictive state immigration law that criminalizes “unauthorized alien” entry into the state. The man was kept imprisoned even after presenting his birth certificate.
More and more American citizens are being detained by ICE agents as well, often by agents who are wearing masks and weilding guns.
The House Judiciary Committee Republicans who all voted in lockstep to let continue allowing ICE to use federal funds to detain and deport American citizens are:
- Jim Jordan, Ohio, Chair
- Darrell Issa, California
- Andy Biggs, Arizona
- Tom McClintock, California
- Tom Tiffany, Wisconsin
- Thomas Massie, Kentucky
- Chip Roy, Texas
- Scott Fitzgerald, Wisconsin
- Ben Cline, Virginia
- Lance Gooden, Texas
- Jeff Van Drew, New Jersey
- Troy Nehls, Texas
- Barry Moore, Alabama
- Kevin Kiley, California
- Harriet Hageman, Wyoming
- Laurel Lee, Florida
- Wesley Hunt, Texas
- Russell Fry, South Carolina
- Glenn Grothman, Wisconsin
- Brad Knott, North Carolina
- Mark Harris, North Carolina
- Bob Onder, Missouri
- Derek Schmidt, Kansas
- Brandon Gill, Texas
- Michael Baumgartner, Washington
I thought Trump 1.0 was a race to the bottom, but Trump 2.0 is like “hold my beer”.
Don’t worry, be happy Meghan. This beautiful Justice Committee bill simply provides funding to protect our border and our citizens. That includes protection for yourself, unless you lied on any of those applications. Then it could be a problem for you. You are probably ok if your path was through DACA and you were young enough to not be accused of breaking any laws in your country of origin. I would also be careful to not engage in illegal immigration support for others. They will revoke that oath and naturalization and get you on a plane before you can say window or aisle.
Better lawyer up, since my legal advice is not so valuable. Better to think of it as man-splaining. However you view it, I don’t like Trump and his methods but he is still the President of my country.
You’re not fooling anyone, Harry.
Oh John, why would I be unhappy? Just because I point out that the US under Trump is a failing nation? It’s just an observation. There are other things to get worked up about. Thanks for worrying about me, but I’m okay.
I’ve already gotten legal advice, which is why I already know that your advice is worthless. In fact, it’s just embarrassingly off-base.
Former Sen. Mitt Romney, who opposed Trump several times, acknowledged that his fellow GOP legislators feared Trump reprisals, should they displease the despot. “Most of my colleagues cannot afford paying for security (to protect their families from violence).
All of us are in danger from federal Trump law officers. I didn’t vote for him to do this. Did you?
I wish I was shocked that Anne Landman and Eric Swallwell would totally misrepresent what the Republicans voted on…but, of course, I am not.
This is why no serious person can believe what is being claimed. The whole agenda of the dems these days is fear-porn and gotcha theater.
Why don’t you enlighten us as to what the vote was really about? Rather than just complaining about bias that you can’t ever give any examples of.
These politicians took an oath to the Constitution and to represent their constituents. They are betraying both. You cannot erase the stench of this and their political careers will never be the same. No lower can they descend. Despicable.