Antonio Urges Husted, Moreno Against Funding ICE

Today, Senate Democratic Leader Nickie J. Antonio (D-Lakewood) sent letters to Ohio’s U.S. Senators Jon Husted and Bernie Moreno, urging them to vote against increasing federal funding of ICE through the appropriations bill being considered by Congress. 

“I write for you to uphold your oath to the Constitution of the United States and end this crisis created by the current administration,” said Leader Antonio. “The deployment of armed and masked ICE and federal border patrol agents into American neighborhoods, without the consent or request of a state’s governor, is irresponsible and an abuse of power. It endangers lives, destroys public trust, and—as we have seen in Minnesota again in recent days—can turn deadly while undermining the ability for local law enforcement to protect and serve.”

Congress is considering an appropriations bill that includes tens of billions of dollars directed to the Department of Homeland Security following the killing of another Minnesota resident by ICE on Saturday. 

“This disturbing trend is not happening just in Minnesota. Republican and Democratic governors and elected leaders across the country have raised serious concerns about these federal escalations of violence directed at citizens, which jeopardize community safety, strain state-federal relations, and require intervention from local law enforcement. These exercises are not an example of effective law enforcement practices, leadership, or public safety training—and American tax dollars must not be spent funding these unacceptable actions,” said Antonio.

The letters can be found here.