Rep Shri Thanedar to introduce bill to abolish ICE: 'We do not need the murders'

WASHINGTON, DC: Rep Shri Thanedar (D-MI) has announced he will be introducing a bill this week to shut down ICE, claiming the agency is responsible for "murders" and cannot be fixed. 

The move follows the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, an event that has ignited a fierce national debate over the agency's future.

Rep Thanedar claims ICE is beyond reform and control

During a press conference on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, January 14, Thanedar told reporters that the agency has become impossible to manage. 

“We must reform ICE. But it looks at this stage, folks, ICE is beyond reform,” he said. 

Thanedar suggested that the federal government managed immigration effectively before the agency's 2003 inception and called for the removal of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.

To emphasize his point, he added, “ICE is totally out of control, and this week I intend to introduce a bill to abolish ICE.”

Push intensifies for the abolition of ICE after Renee Good’s death

The Michigan representative’s anger stems from the death of Renee Nicole Good, an ICE agent, during a protest on January 7 in Minneapolis.

While reports indicate that Ross opened fire after suffering internal injuries from being struck by Good’s SUV, the incident has sparked outrage among Minnesota leadership. 

Thanedar used harsh rhetoric to describe the agency's impact on Americans, stating, “We do not need the murders, we do not need this paramilitary organization’s members on our streets, terrorizing U.S. citizens, terrorizing moms, terrorizing our children.”

Other Minnesota leaders, including Governor Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey, have also criticized the agency's actions as protests continue to grow.

Democratic support grows as tensions escalate in Minnesota

Thanedar seems to have more support for abolishing ICE, as Democratic lawmakers, including Representatives Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Rep Tim Kennedy (D-NY), and Rep Al Green (D-TX), also stand with him.

Meanwhile, Rep Ayanna Pressley also joined the call, stating that ICE “cannot be reformed” and should be abolished. However, the government is pushing back against these demands. 

Even though local leaders in Minneapolis told ICE to leave, including Mayor Frey, who told ICE to “get the f**k out” of Minneapolis, Secretary Noem said she is ignoring them and sending “hundreds more” agents to the city. 

Meanwhile, Border Czar Tom Homan noted that the agent involved, Jonathan Ross, is currently in “hiding” because of concerns for his safety.