In yet another display of radical open-borders extremism, Michigan Democrat Rep. Shri Thanedar is pushing forward with his so-called “Abolish ICE Act” (H.R. 7123), a bill introduced on January 15, 2026, that would completely dismantle U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement—the agency tasked with removing criminal illegal aliens and protecting American communities.
Thanedar, representing Detroit’s 13th District, announced the legislation days after previewing it on January 9, claiming ICE has “prioritized aggressive enforcement and violence” since its 2003 creation. He insists Americans are being “terrorized” by the very officers enforcing our laws. The bill, now ping-ponging between the Judiciary, Homeland Security, and Ways and Means Committees, would defund ICE immediately, seize unused funds, transfer assets to DHS, and dissolve the agency within 90 days.
Fat chance of passage. With President Donald Trump back in the White House and ICE aggressively targeting threats under his administration, this stunt is dead on arrival. It would require bipartisan support and Trump’s signature—neither of which is remotely likely when the president has made border security a cornerstone of his agenda.
Thanedar’s crusade isn’t new; it’s part of a pattern of anti-enforcement hysteria. Last year, he filed seven articles of impeachment against Trump himself, only to backpedal. He later accused former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem of “lying” during a hearing and even impeached Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on wild charges like “murder and conspiracy to murder.” This is the same congressman who can’t seem to stop filing impeachment papers like they’re parking tickets.
Thanedar pins his “abolish” rhetoric on tragic incidents in Minneapolis, where Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother, was fatally shot by an ICE agent in January 2026 after allegedly interfering with an operation to apprehend criminal illegals, refusing commands, and attempting to run over an officer with her vehicle. Days later, VA ICU nurse Alex Pretti was killed by federal agents during a heated confrontation amid protests over immigration enforcement. Thanedar calls these “murders” proof ICE is “out of control” and “beyond reform,” demanding we scrap the agency entirely.
But let’s be clear: These were officer-involved shootings during active enforcement actions, often involving resistance or threats to safety. ICE agents put their lives on the line daily to remove gang members, traffickers, and violent criminals—not to “terrorize moms and children,” as Thanedar hyperbolically claims. Dismantling ICE wouldn’t create a “more humane” system; it would unleash chaos, allowing dangerous illegals to roam free and overburden local law enforcement.
He’s not alone in this fringe crusade. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) called ICE an “occupying force” acting “lawlessly” in her district. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) wants to slash ICE funding. Congressional Democrats keep floating ways to hamstring border security while illegal crossings and fentanyl deaths skyrocket.
Thanedar’s bill is less about reform and more about sabotaging President Trump’s mandate to secure the border. Americans voted for stronger enforcement—not for coddling criminals and defunding the very agency that deports them. In a sane Congress, this proposal would be laughed out of the room. Instead, it highlights how far-left radicals prioritize open borders over American safety.
President Trump and ICE are finally doing the job previous administrations ignored. Attempts to abolish them only prove one thing: The left still doesn’t get it—and they never will.
