Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., introduced legislation Thursday that would redirect roughly $140 billion in immigration enforcement funding—money previously allocated to ICE and Border Patrol under the Trump administration’s tax and spending package—toward communities affected by federal immigration operations.
The bill, called the Make ICE Pay Act, is a direct response to “Operation Metro Surge,” a federal immigration enforcement action in Minnesota, according to Omar’s press release. The legislation would send the redirected funds to local jurisdictions for what Omar calls “local recovery efforts.”
Under the bill, local governments would distribute the money to nonprofits, small businesses and other affected entities. Funds could support schools, healthcare and psychological services, increased local-government expenses, investigations and memorialization efforts. The Department of Housing and Urban Development would administer the program, with oversight from its inspector general, and the program would expire three years after it begins.
“ICE has been tearing through our nation, devastating our neighborhoods, our cities, and our businesses,” Omar wrote on X. “Our communities deserve accountability. My Make ICE Pay Act will redirect ICE’s $140 billion budget to the communities they’ve hurt the most.”
Republican Pushback
With Republicans controlling both chambers of Congress and the White House, the bill has little chance of advancing. But it drew swift criticism from GOP lawmakers and officials who argue it prioritizes protection of illegal immigrants over immigration enforcement.
“This bill is un-American. This bill defunds law enforcement and gives their funding to the communities harboring criminal illegal aliens. Democrats fight for everyone except the American people.” — Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind.
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders also criticized the measure on X: “Defund ICE. Weaken the border. Then expect safer communities? That math isn’t mathing.”
John Nagel, the Republican challenging Omar in Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District this November, wrote on X that “her entire existence is on crippling the United States,” adding that she is “anti-police and pro communism.”
Fox News Digital said it reached out to Omar’s office for comment on the criticism but did not report a response.
Separate Investigation
The bill’s introduction comes as White House border czar Tom Homan confirmed last week that the Department of Homeland Security is examining allegations involving Omar, though he declined to disclose details, describing it as an “ongoing criminal investigation.” When pressed on whether the government has evidence that Omar committed immigration or naturalization fraud, Homan declined to comment. Asked directly whether he was confirming an investigation into Omar, he said, “I’m confirming that ICE is, yeah — look, I said months ago that there’s something that’s been reported and needs to be looked at.”
Omar has long faced allegations, which she denies, that she married a man critics claim is her brother as part of an immigration scheme. The claim has not been substantiated in public records. In December, Omar dismissed the allegations as “bigoted lies” and said on social media that former President Trump was “obsessed” with her.
