Washington, D.C. – All across the country, from Minneapolis to Los Angeles to Chicago, federal immigration agents have unleashed all-out terror against working families. The devastating murder of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis earlier this month comes on the heels of a mounting pattern of death and destruction at the hands of immigration agents, including the deaths of Keith Porter in LA, Silverio Villegas Gonzalez in Illinois, and the over 30 deaths in detention that occurred over the course of 2025. In just the first month of 2026, already 6 people have died in detention.
Despite this deadly enforcement and the growing affordability crisis working families are faced with nationwide, Congress is in the midst of debating an appalling $400 million increase of taxpayer dollars to ICE for detention, on top of the unprecedented $45 billion the agency already received last year through 2029.
In the face of this proposed funding increase, today, Congresswoman Delia Ramirez (IL-03), joined by Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (NY-09), introduced the Melt ICE Act, a bold piece of legislation to close all immigration detention facilities, both private and public, release all immigrants from detention, and end the violent for-profit electronic monitoring system. Critically, the Melt ICE Act would also redirect billions of taxpayer dollars towards community-based services that support working families.
United We Dream released the following statement:
“The American people are overwhelmingly against using their tax dollars to fund continued death, destruction and terror in our cities, all while the actual dire needs of our communities are neglected. Millions of working families are struggling to afford groceries. Health care premiums are skyrocketing. People are working two, sometimes three, jobs just to keep a roof over their heads. Our communities are fed up! We demand policies that meet our needs, not those who seek to profit off the mass detention of our immigrant neighbors, the separation of families, and the deaths of allies like Renee. That work starts with the Melt ICE Act. We urge Members of Congress to follow the leadership of their colleagues, Congresswomen Ramirez and Clarke, and pass the Melt ICE Act now!”
