Long Island Dems side with House GOP to pass DHS, ICE funding bill

Two Democrat House reps from Long Island, New York have broken with their party in backing a spending bill that includes billions funding to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as a major immigration crackdown has been underway in Minnesota.

Reps Laura Gillen and Tom Suozzi sided with House Republicans on Thursday in passing a $64.4 billion funding package for the Department of Homeland Security. Included in the package is $10 billion for ICE. The bill ultimately passed the chamber 220 to 207. Five other Democrats joined Gillen and Suozzi in passing the bill, while Rep Thomas Massie was the only GOP member to vote against it.

In a statement released shortly after the vote, Gillen wrote, "Let us be clear: this bill is about funding FEMA disaster relief, about stopping child trafficking and the spread of fentanyl in our communities and strengthening our cybersecurity and law enforcement. I support funding our immigration enforcement and the commonsense guardrails that have been included in this package."

She added, "I’m shocked my colleagues would vote to cut off national and community security funding while leaving ICE to operate under the status quo. Importantly, this bill also funds security grants that protect houses of worship from violence and funds the Office of Civil Rights. I voted to protect our nation and American lives. I urge the Senate to pass this bill swiftly."

Suozzi said that the bill "ensures continuity for the critical agencies that keep our country safe and functioning," but added, however, that "There is no question ICE has overstepped its bounds." In the wake of the vote, however, Suozzi said he "failed to view the DHS funding vote as a referendum on the illegal and immoral conduct of ICE in Minneapolis. I hear the anger from my constituents, and I take responsibility for that. I have long been critical of ICE’s unlawful behavior and I must do a better job demonstrating that."

"The senseless and tragic murder of Alex Pretti underscores what happens when untrained federal agents operate without accountability. President Trump must immediately end “Operation Metro Surge” and ICE’s occupation of Minneapolis that has sown chaos, led to tragedy, and undermined experienced local law enforcement."

A spokesperson for Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman told the New York Post in response to the vote, "Congresswoman Laura Gillen and Congressman Tom Suozzi are not fooling anyone with their sudden effort to rebrand themselves ‘moderates’ and ‘run for cover’ against the tide of socialist extremists who have taken over their political party."