...
By Sam Stevenson
Associate News Editor
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
A Democratic-led effort to rein in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is rapidly gathering support on Capitol Hill, with a new House proposal attracting more than 70 co‑sponsors.
Responding to the proposed bill, which would require ICE to perform an initial health screening on detainees, a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson told Newsweek, "Aliens already get medical care at intake from the moment an alien enters ICE custody."
Why It Matters
The proposal's rise comes against the backdrop of a broader push from progressive lawmakers, who have unveiled a list of 10 specific changes they want the agency to implement.
Read More on News
It also follows high-profile incidents, including the shooting of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis, subsequent nationwide protests, and ongoing negotiations over DHS funding.
...
What To Know
Democratic legislation to tighten standards around ICE has won broad support in the House as a bill introduced on February 3 by Representative Raul Ruiz of California added dozens of cosponsors and advanced to key committees.
The bill, H.R. 7335, would require ICE to perform an initial health screening on detainees, according to a summary on the Congress website.
At the time of writing, 75 lawmakers had given their backing to the proposal, a level of support that is significant for a policy measure this specific, signaling real momentum inside the caucus.
While the legislation stops well short of abolishing ICE outright, it reflects the growing appetite inside the Democratic caucus for systemic reform—and, in some corners, a more fundamental rethinking of how immigration enforcement should work.
Related House proposals this session included a bill to require scannable identification for enforcement officers (H.R.7233), which was referred to committees with Homeland Security jurisdiction.
It also comes on the heels of Democratic Congressman Shri Thanedar of Michigan's introduction of the Abolish ICE Act, H.R. 7123—a proposal that would cut off the agency's federal funding, cancel its remaining unobligated funds, and wind down ICE entirely within 90 days of the bill becoming law.
Democratic leaders Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer this week issued a joint list of 10 ICE and DHS reforms—such as warrant requirements, a ban on face coverings, mandatory body cameras, and protections around sensitive locations—that they said should be included in a DHS funding agreement.
Their demands arrived as Congress faced a February 13 deadline for DHS funding after a short-term extension, and as Democrats tied the reforms to fatal shootings by federal agents in Minneapolis last month.
Last month in Congress, the ICE Security Reform Act of 2025 (H.R.673) proposed operating Homeland Security Investigations as a separate entity within DHS and redesignating ICE, reflecting broader efforts to restructure immigration enforcement.
What People Are Saying
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told Newsweek: "Aliens already get medical care at intake from the moment an alien enters ICE custody. This includes medical, dental, and mental health intake screening within 12 hours of arriving at each detention facility, a full health assessment within 14 days of entering ICE custody or arrival at a facility, and access to necessary medical appointments and 24-hour emergency care. This is the best health care many of these individuals have received in their entire lives."
Speaking about his party’s immigration enforcement reforms, Senate Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer: “These are commonsense reforms. If Republicans refuse to support them, they are choosing chaos over order, plain and simple.”
Congressman Thanedar said in his official statement: "Since ICE's establishment in 2003, it has prioritized aggressive enforcement and violence rather than due process. Americans are being terrorized.
"Last year, I introduced legislation to end qualified immunity for ICE agents, ensuring they are held accountable when they break the law. But the killing of Renee Nicole Good proved that ICE is out of control and beyond reform. We must fundamentally change the way we approach immigration: it's time to abolish ICE."
Democratic Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts wrote on X: "In the same way that masked cowardly militia played the role of judge, jury, & executioner, terrorizing Black communities — that terror is now coming everywhere in the form of ICE.
“This rogue agency must be abolished & we must end qualified immunity to hold agents accountable.”
What Happens Next
H.R.7335 will undergo consideration in the House Judiciary and Homeland Security committees, which may hold hearings and a markup before any floor action.
Whether the legislation advances this year remains uncertain.
House Republican leadership is likely to block it from reaching the floor, and even if it were to progress, it would face steep odds in the Senate.
But the bill's momentum is significant in its own right: it signals a coordinated Democratic strategy to force a policy reckoning on immigration enforcement heading into an election year.
Update 2/6/26, 3:10 a.m. ET: This article was updated with a statement from DHS.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines