Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., has formally introduced legislation aiming to dismantle the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and restructure federal immigration enforcement. The Reimagining Safety Act proposes to eliminate Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), replacing them with a new Department of Community Safety.
Key elements of the proposal involve transferring certain customs and immigration functions to other federal departments while dissolving CBP’s current structure. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are among the agencies that would be preserved but relocated under different departments.
The bill, cosponsored by Reps. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., Adelita Grijalva, D-Ariz., and Jim McGovern, D-Mass., also calls for stopping federal funding for border walls by 2027 and closing the detention center at Guantánamo Bay within 60 days of enactment.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin has criticized the proposal, asserting it as a radical measure unlikely to succeed. He emphasized that the DHS’s 270,000 members play a vital role in keeping Americans safe. A DHS spokesperson also highlighted the importance of law enforcement’s role in removing dangerous criminals.
Ramirez defended her initiative, arguing for a shift toward prioritizing community safety and reimagining safety strategies. The legislation recommends moving the TSA and Coast Guard to the Department of Transportation and shifting FEMA and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to the proposed Department of Community Safety. Customs functions would potentially shift to the Treasury Department, and certain immigration duties would go to the Justice Department.
The proposal requires congressional approval and the president’s signature to become law. As of now, none of the planned immigration enforcement changes are in effect.