Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., has formally introduced legislation that would dismantle the Department of Homeland Security, abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and eliminate Customs and Border Protection, including the Border Patrol.
The bill, called the “Reimagining Safety Act,” would replace DHS with a new “Department of Community Safety.” Some existing agencies, including the Transportation Security Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, would continue to operate but would be reassigned to other departments.
Under the plan, TSA and the Coast Guard would move to the Department of Transportation. FEMA and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency would shift to the new Department of Community Safety. Customs functions would move to the Treasury Department, and certain immigration functions would go to the Justice Department.
CBP’s enforcement structure, including the Border Patrol, would be eliminated outright. The bill also would bar federal funding for border wall construction starting in fiscal year 2027 and would require the closure of the military detention facility at Guantánamo Bay within 60 days of the law taking effect.
Ramirez’s original cosponsors are Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., Rep. Adelita Grijalva, D-Ariz., and Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass.
Administration pushback
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin criticized the proposal in a statement to Fox News Digital last month.
“Radical leftists are calling to defund the police and abolish DHS. It’s NEVER going to happen. Our 270,000 DHS patriots are keeping Americans SAFE— unlike this open-borders politician who refuses to prioritize Americans over illegal aliens,” Mullin said.
A DHS spokesperson added that Ramirez “should be thanking our law enforcement for removing these dangerous criminals from her district—NOT vilifying law enforcement.”
Ramirez’s defense
Ramirez has defended the bill, arguing the current department should be replaced with one oriented toward community safety rather than enforcement.
“Every day, Americans wake up with a new reason to dismantle DHS, reimagine safety, and build something that honors our shared humanity,” Ramirez said.
The legislation would need to pass both chambers of Congress and be signed into law before any of its changes to federal immigration enforcement could take effect. As of now, DHS, ICE and CBP continue to operate under existing law.
