Rep. John Garamendi

We've got to fight back here.

And we're given an opportunity in the next two weeks, three weeks, as we run up to the end of January where the funding for government agencies terminates.

Well, we're about to get into the appropriation weeds here.

In the big ugly bill, there was guaranteed funding for the next decade, $170 billion for Department of Homeland Security ICE program.

And that's mandatory.

That's in the law.

The appropriators cannot change that.

They can make certain requirements, improving the quality of care, such things as training,

body cams and so forth.

That can be done, but the funding is there.

However, if the Republicans do not have the votes, we then have the leverage and the opportunity to rewrite the big ugly bill.

as it pertains to, well, all of it, but specifically to the mandatory funding for ICE.

It can be restricted, can be diverted to other things, healthcare, education, whatever.

That's a separate piece of legislation.

If that leverage moment arrives, we need to be prepared not only to put into the appropriation bill improvements in the way ICE operates, but also to fundamentally change their funding stream so that we, as legislators,

Members of Congress and the Senate have the ongoing authority to move the ICE money wherever it may be necessary or to restrict it.

He becomes the ultimate dictator.

All restraints are off.

He can do whatever he wants to do.

The Supreme Court is questioning his authority on many of these issues, including the deployment of ICE and the National Guard in various cities.