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The House Rules Committee published an updated draft of its $1.5 trillion omnibus spending bill on Wednesday. The bill increases ICE’s overall funding by $284.7 million, including a $57 million increase for the controversial Enforcement and Removal Operations division responsible for detaining and removing immigrants. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) called the increase “ridiculous” and said she will vote against any ICE funding in the omnibus. House Rules Committee Chair Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) echoed Ocasio-Cortez’s sentiments, but said it was a bipartisan compromise. “I’m not particularly thrilled about it, but this bill represents an agreement between four quarters — House and Senate, Democrats and Republicans — so people like me have to get as much done as we can within the reality that we’re living in.” Latino Rebels
In other federal immigration news…
Biden administration leaning toward ending Title 42
President Joe Biden’s administration is leaning toward ending Title 42, which allows U.S. authorities to rapidly expel migrants caught at the border, either to Mexico or other countries, without a chance to seek refuge in the United States. Three officials familiar with the matter told Reuters the matter is being actively debated and a decision could come within weeks. The discussions were prompted by recent court decisions that complicate Title 42’s implementation, coupled with major moves by U.S. public health officials to loosen pandemic restrictions across the United States, the officials said. Reuters
Senate Democrats withdraw vote to advance Biden’s ICE director pick
After a Republican senator raised a domestic abuse allegation against Ed Gonzalez, President Joe Biden’s nominee for director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Senate Democrats on Tuesday withdrew a vote on a procedural motion to advance Gonzalez. The allegation stems from an affidavit filed July last year. It was part of a lawsuit in a licensed police officer claimed that he and another officer were called to investigate “an alleged domestic dispute” involving Melissa Gonzalez, Ed Gonzalez’s wife. Melissa Gonzalez denied that she filed or made a complaint against her husband. The affidavit doesn’t describe the nature of the incident. ICE, which is currently led by acting director Tae Johnson, never had a Senate-confirmed director during the Trump administration. CNN
