WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) voted NO on the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026. The funding bill provides $64.4 billion for the Department, without doing enough to rein in the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The final vote in the House of Representatives was 220 to 207.
Congresswoman Jahana Hayes released the following statement on her vote.
“I will not vote for a bill that gives ICE more money as public trust in the agency is eroded. This bill does not include broader reforms, including preventing U.S. citizens from being detained, mandating agents to remove masks, wear body cameras or adhere to the constitution, or requiring extensive training of officers. My constituents are horrified by ICE’s well-documented pattern of excessive force, lack of transparency, and disregard for civil and human rights. I join the over 500 civil and human rights organizations in the belief that Congressional funding has enabled DHS to become a dangerous agency operating with impunity.
Protecting our borders and enforcing immigration laws are important to preserving our national security. We can accomplish this while also protecting civil rights and ensuring public safety. The Department of Homeland Security received $150 billion, with $75 billion specifically for ICE, in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, enough to fund the agency for almost seven years. We cannot continue to operate without an acknowledgement of the escalating tensions and undermining of community trust in law enforcement. Congress must show that the cruelty and lawlessness of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency is unacceptable and this vote is my way of demanding reform.”
###