COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio's congressional leaders are debating funding for immigration agents, as Senate Democrats plan to block a spending package that would keep the government open. No money for ICE until they follow the law and can be held accountable, policymakers say.
For weeks, Ohioans have been protesting Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE, after federal agents shot and killed two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis. Mother and writer Renée Good, 37, died on Jan. 7, while U.S. Veterans Affairs ICU nurse Alex Pretti, 37, was killed on Jan. 24.
RELATED: Cleveland protest held following death of Renee Good, who was killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis
"ICE is completely out of control," Democratic U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown (OH-11) said in an interview Monday. "I think it is time for them to leave."
The violence needs to end, she added, and officials need to be held accountable.
"What we're seeing is an agency that is out of control, and that's destroying communities," Brown said.
Last week, she voted against giving nearly $65 billion to the Department of Homeland Security, with $10 billion for ICE. She is urging her Senate colleagues to do the same.
"Until we get some accountability measures, until we get some transparency, until they are operating in a way that is actually lawful and lines up with the Constitution, I would not give them another red cent," Brown said.
Although it passed the House, Senate Democratic leadership has said they will block the bill, which will likely lead to a partial government shutdown.
Brown wants Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to be impeached, while other House Democrats blame her for the deaths.
"This shooting is the direct result of the dangerous tactics ordered by President Trump and enabled by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem,” Democratic U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes (OH-13) said. “Their approach is escalating chaos, putting innocent lives at risk, and shredding public trust. Communities deserve protection, not lawlessness. There must be full accountability and an immediate end to these reckless federal operations."
But Vice President JD Vance argues that the “chaos” in Minneapolis isn’t due to ICE, it’s due to protestors and local law enforcement.
"Stop fighting immigration enforcement and accept that we have to have a border in this country," Vance said Thursday. "It's not that hard."
But in a change of course for Vance, he said that some mistakes may have been made, but those could be remedied if Minneapolis police got out of ICE’s way and assisted them in enforcing federal law.
"The number one way where we could lower the mistakes that are happening, at least with our immigration enforcement, is to have local jurisdictions that are cooperating with us... It's not what ICE is doing in Minneapolis; it's what Minneapolis authorities are doing to prevent ICE from doing their jobs," Vance said.
Many members of Ohio's congressional delegation were unavailable to give comment Monday, their teams said.
U.S. Senator Jon Husted's team sent over a statement he made on social media, one in which he tried to take the middle ground.
"The fatal shooting of Alex Pretti is tragic. My prayers are with his family and all who are grieving," Husted wrote. "Any incident involving law enforcement’s use of lethal force must be thoroughly and objectively investigated."
The senator continued that ICE plays an "important role" in national security.
"Law enforcement officers and first responders, who are called upon to make split-second decisions in dangerous situations, are in difficult and often dangerous circumstances," he said.
Husted has previously warned citizens not to "interfere with law enforcement operations," according to News 5's media partner WSYX-TV. He also praised ICE.
"I believe all public servants have a responsibility to lower the temperature around immigration enforcement, and no one should impede ongoing law enforcement actions," Husted wrote.
U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno reposted a lengthly statement on social media, which said, "Moreno reposted a statement on social media, which said, "By encouraging people to interfere in law enforcement operations, the Left is getting people killed."
"Senator Moreno will vote to keep the government open, unlike Senate Democrats who are threatening to wreak havoc with another needless shutdown unless ICE is defunded," Moreno spokesperson Reagan McCarthy said. "Chuck Schumer has lost control of his party to far-left lunatics who want to hold the country hostage to pass their radical agenda."
Immigration enforcement has a massive budget, Brown said, noting that it was already given $75 billion previously.
"Is it worth it to have a partial government shutdown to prevent ICE from getting more funding — money they may get anyway later on?" I asked Brown.
"The thing about this situation right now, as it relates to a potential shutdown, is that I would harken back to the things that Donald Trump has been doing to essentially shut down the government step by step, piece by piece, tearing up departments like the Department of Education, ending programs at USAID. So he has been essentially shutting down the government in his own way," Brown responded. "I think it is important that, as checks and balances in our government, that we exercise our responsibility and duty to hold this administration accountable, and if that means that we do not fund ICE, then I would fully support that."
Now, senators are negotiating. Brown would like to see some tools that can increase transparency, like body cameras, added when they reach a compromise.
Not all services would be shut down if the bill doesn’t get passed — food assistance would still be in effect.
Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on Twitter and Facebook.
