New Legislation Aims to Improve Oversight of ICE Operations
In a bid to enhance the accountability of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego have put forth new legislation. This move comes amid heightened scrutiny of ICE’s operational methods and the existing oversight framework.
Recently, there have been four incidents involving ICE shootings across the country, resulting in injuries or deaths. Among these cases was the death of Renee Good, a U.S. citizen, in Minneapolis, who was killed when an ICE agent fired into her vehicle’s front window.
The proposed legislation, titled the Stop Excessive Force in Immigration Act, aims to establish a definitive use-of-force standard. This standard seeks to restrict the application of deadly force and the use of firearms by ICE agents. Additionally, the bill mandates the wearing of body cameras by agents and proposes limitations on the use of masks.
A policy by Customs and Border Protection, initiated during the Biden administration, already requires body cameras for Border Patrol agents in Arizona and select other states. However, a previous House bill from 2021, which sought to make body cameras compulsory for both border and immigration agents, did not advance.
