Congressman Thanedar Introduces Bill To Curb ICE Power

India-West News Desk

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In response to what he calls a “deport now, ask questions later” policy, Congressman Shri Thanedar has introduced the Ending Qualified Immunity for ICE Agents Act. This legislation aims to increase accountability for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel by removing their qualified immunity protections.

The bill comes amid growing concerns over ICE’s expanding budget and authority, particularly following the passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which allocates over $170 billion to the agency. Critics of the funding argue that this significant investment could lead to an increase in civil rights violations without proper oversight. According to Thanedar, more reports are emerging of agents detaining individuals at courthouses, workplaces, and places of worship with a lack of transparency.

“They are more interested in hitting quotas and racial profiling than they are in treating people with basic respect and dignity,” said Rep. Thanedar. “We’ve seen ICE detain Americans with impunity and commit gross civil rights violations. Qualified Immunity protects them from being held accountable. No more. No one should be above the law, especially those entrusted with enforcing it.”

The proposed legislation amends federal law to eliminate the qualified immunity defense for ICE agents. This would allow individuals to pursue legal action against agents for constitutional rights violations, regardless of whether the agent believed their actions were lawful at the time. Thanedar asserts that with the new funding, strict oversight is more critical than ever.

“If an ICE agent violates the law, it only makes sense they are held accountable just like civilians,” Thanedar added. “With Trump allocating an additional $75 billion to ICE, it’s more important than ever that we demand strict oversight and accountability.”