Press Releases

Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández released the following statement after voting against H. Res. 1128 and opposing efforts to tie funding for critical homeland security agencies to unchecked authority for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE):

“I support the mission of agencies from TSA to the Coast Guard, and FEMA to the Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency, " said Leger Fernández. “That’s why I’ve consistently pushed to fund them—and voted to make sure TSA agents, Coast Guard members, and FEMA personnel get paid and can do their jobs. But I will not vote to give more money to ICE and CBP while they refuse to follow the law.

Right now, Republicans want to hand ICE more power without requiring it to respect basic Constitutional rights. Every other law enforcement agency in the country is required to follow the Constitution—they cannot barge into your home without a warrant; they cannot use excessive force or kill you for exercising your free speech. Americans know it is wrong to give away these basic constitutional protections to anyone—especially not agents who hide behind masks.

If ICE can barge into homes, then no one’s rights are safe. Not yours. Not mine. No one’s. 

The only reason Republicans would oppose these guardrails is because they expect ICE to violate them. At the same time, Republicans have admitted this isn’t about resources—ICE and CBP received $140 billion from OBBBA. Their agents are being paid, and they have money to operate for years to come.

That’s why I voted against H. Res. 1128. I reject the idea that we have to choose between funding critical security agencies and writing a blank check to a broken ICE. There is a better path—and members of both parties know it. House Democrats and many Republicans agree: we can fund DHS agencies like TSA, FEMA, and cybersecurity operations right now, without rewarding an agency that needs reform.

The best way to get our TSA workers paid is to pass the bill that I cosponsored in the House and that Senate Democrats have voted on 10 times.

Passing our bill, paying TSA workers will shorten airport lines and help us prepare for wildfire season,” she concluded.

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