Peters Statement on HSGAC Republicans Voting to Block Commonsense Reforms to Hold Department of Homeland Securit...

Committee Republicans Blocked 57 Amendments to Reform ICE, Strengthen National Security, Prevent Corruption, and Address Rising Costs for Americans

WASHINGTON, D.C. — During today’s consideration of Senate Republicans’ partisan reconciliation bill, U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and his Democratic colleagues on the committee offered 57 commonsense amendments to increase accountability for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), address corruption and conflicts of interest within the Trump Administration, and address rising costs for hardworking American families. HSGAC Republicans blocked every single amendment from being included in the final bill.

“I’m disappointed my Republican colleagues voted against the amendments my colleagues and I offered today – including commonsense reforms to the Department of Homeland Security, efforts to address serious national security threats facing our nation, and measures to stop corruption within the Trump Administration,” said Senator Peters. “Instead of addressing the rising costs for food and fuel that hardworking American families are facing, our Republican colleagues have decided to rubber stamp billions of dollars in funding for ICE and CBP with no strings attached, and help the President spend $1 billion in taxpayer money to build his gold-plated ballroom. Republicans control the House, the Senate, and the White House, and have taken zero action to lower costs for Americans. This committee and this administration seem to be focused on all the wrong things.”

Below is a list of the commonsense amendments HSGAC Democrats offered and HSGAC Republicans blocked:

1. A Senator Hassan amendment to require DHS officers to display their last name, ID number, and the name of the law enforcement agency they represent. This would ensure that all DHS law enforcement personnel interacting with the public can be clearly identified and held accountable for any misconduct. The amendment also provided resources to protect officers from being doxxed online. 

2. A Senator Hassan amendment to block any funds in the bill from being disbursed to DHS unless the department prohibits their law enforcement personnel from entering homes without first obtaining a judicial warrant. This would ensure that DHS is complying with the Fourth Amendment protections in our Constitution to protect Americans from unreasonable searches and seizures.

3. A Senator Blumenthal amendment to require DHS law enforcement officers to obtain a judicial warrant before entering a home. This would ensure that DHS is complying with the Fourth Amendment protections in our Constitution to protect Americans from unreasonable searches and seizures, following repeated instances of ICE and CBP officers attempting to unconstitutionally enter American homes.

4. A Senator Slotkin amendment to prohibit DHS from creating databases of protestors, marchers, or participants in other First Amendment protected activities.This amendment would rein in the reported conduct by DHS law enforcement officers who have threatened and intimidated people who were exercising their constitutionally protected right to free speech by indicating they are being tracked by DHS.

5. A Senator Peters amendment to prevent DHS from conducting mass surveillance of American citizens. The amendment would protect the privacy rights of Americans by preventing the Administration from purchasing and collecting data on Americans’ personal lives, such as their location or social media, and using AI to assemble profiles on American citizens, all without a warrant or cause.

6. A Senator Blumenthal amendment to prohibit immigration enforcement at places of worship. While previous Administrations prevented DHS from conducting immigration enforcement at churches and other houses of worship, the Trump Administration rescinded that policy. This amendment would ensure that individuals would be able to attend their place of worship without fear.

7. A Senator Kim amendment to require DHS to allow Members of Congress to conduct their constitutionally-required oversight responsibilities by ensuring that Members can readily access DHS detention facilities. DHS has attempted to illegally delay or restrict these visits, despite the oversight authority that members of Congress possess to ensure these public facilities meet legal standards.

8. A Senator Blumenthal amendment to require the Department of Justice Inspector General to investigate whether the DHS immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota negatively affected the investigation and prosecution of firearm, drug and other crimes by pulling resources away from those public safety priorities.

9. A Senator Kim amendment to prohibit DHS from conducting surge operations, such as Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota. Two American citizens were shot and killed as a result of DHS’ surge operation, and the surge operations do not prioritize immigration enforcement that the majority of Americans support – including deporting dangerous criminals who pose a threat to public safety.

10. A Senator Blumenthal amendment to require that ICE and CBP provide diabetics in their custody with necessary and lifesaving medication. Javier Ramirez, a U.S. citizen, was repeatedly denied access to insulin while he was improperly detained. The U.S. government has a responsibility to ensure individuals in its custody have access to basic medical care.

11. A Senator Blumenthal amendment to require that ICE and CBP provide pregnant women in their custody access to an OB-GYN when requested. Pregnant detainees – including those experiencing severe bleeding or a miscarriage – are repeatedly denied both routine and critical access to medical care. The U.S. government has a responsibility to ensure individuals in its custody have access to basic medical care.

12. A Senator Peters amendment to redirect $1 billion from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to ensure that essential care and attention is provided to children in immigration detention. The Trump Administration has detained more than 6,200 children during President Trump’s second term, and ICE continues to provide them with insufficient medical care. The U.S. government has a responsibility to ensure individuals in its custody have access to basic medical care.

13. A Senator Hassan amendment to require that DHS improve its use of force standards. ICE and CBP officers in operations across the country have repeatedly used excessive force, including with rubber bullets, tear gas, and batons. Officers have also shot and killed U.S. citizens. This amendment would improve accountability for DHS officers by strengthening the standards for use of force.

14. A Senator Hassan amendment to require that DHS improve use of force standards against non-threatening civilians carrying legal firearms. This amendment would help prevent a repeat of the situation that led to the death of Alex Pretti, who was legally carrying a firearm – a right protected by the Second Amendment – when he was fatally shot by DHS officers.

15. A Senator Hassan amendment to require that DHS improve its use of force standards against restrained, immobilized civilians. ICE and CBP agents continue to illegally use chokeholds, including by pressing their full body weight on detainees’ necks with their knees, despite federal law only allowing the use of chokeholds and “knee-to-neck” restraints when deadly force is authorized.

16. A Senator Blumenthal amendment to prohibit the use of deadly force against non-violent protestors. The amendment would prevent a repeat of the abuses experienced by Marimar Martinez, a Chicago teacher and U.S. citizen who was shot five times by a CBP agent and charged with impeding law enforcement, only for the charges to be dropped after an investigation exonerated her.

17. A Senator Peters amendment to require that DHS publicly post its use of force policies and manuals within 30 days. Unlike local police departments, ICE and CBP agents’ use of force standards are not public, endangering citizens and allowing agents to act without transparency or accountability.

18. A Senator Kim amendment to require de-escalation training for ICE and CBP personnel, who regularly operate in high-tension environments. Escalated encounters during immigration enforcement operations, including the repeated use of deadly force, highlight the need to ensure agents are trained to de-escalate to protect both the safety of the public and law enforcement officers.

19. A Senator Kim amendment to address the conditions at Delaney Hall Detention Facility by requiring immediate oversight inspections conducted by the DHS Inspector General and ICE Office of Detention Oversight. Detainees at Delaney Hall have been denied adequate food at the facility, and one detainee at the center has died under DHS’ watch. The U.S. government has a responsibility to provide adequate care for any individuals in its custody.

20. A Senator Kim amendment to prohibit DHS from purchasing or retrofitting warehouses to turn them into detention facilities. Warehouses lack the bare minimum standards for medical and food facilities, which endangers detainees and has created enormous costs to the American taxpayer. The U.S. government has a responsibility to provide adequate care for any individuals in its custody.

21. A Senator Hassan amendment to prohibit DHS from purchasing warehouse detention centers without state and local approval. The Trump Administration has purchased and retrofitted detention facilities in secret, oftentimes without any notice to local leaders and residents, leaving them out of the loop in decisions that could negatively impact their communities.

22. A Senator Slotkin amendment to prevent DHS from retrofitting commercial or industrial warehouse facilities for immigration detention purposes if those facilities were never intended for human housing, sit within a quarter mile of a residential neighborhood, are within a mile of elementary schools, do not have the support of local elected officials, or are in the same state as another existing facility with open detention beds. DHS has purchased and is in the process of converting a 300,000 square foot warehouse in Romulus, Michigan, for detention usage. Local officials were kept entirely in the dark about the facility, and DHS has illegally violated multiple environmental and zoning codes.

23. A Senator Slotkin amendment to prohibit armed DHS employees or contractors at election polling places. The Trump Administration has indicated numerous times that it may send armed DHS officers to polling places during the midterm elections. This type of deployment would be unprecedented, intimidating eligible voters and amounting to election interference by the Trump Administration. 

24. A Senator Slotkin amendment to prohibit DHS agents from being used to seize election ballots. President Trump has repeatedly said he wants to “nationalize elections” and has requested ballots and voter rolls from multiple states in efforts to interfere with free and fair elections.

25. A Senator Blumental amendment to redirect $1.8 billion from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to establish a compensation fund for people injured or killed by DHS, for U.S. citizens unconstitutionally detained, and for those whose property was illegally entered.

26. A Senator Blumenthal amendment to prohibit DHS from deporting military veterans, unless they have been convicted a violent crime. Despite risking their lives for this country, the Trump Administration has deported and attempted to deport American veterans who have not committed crimes.

27. A Senator Peters amendment prohibiting DHS officers from wearing masks or face coverings that obscure their identity, unless a facial covering is operationally necessary to protect the integrity of members of covert, non-public operations, such as targeting cartels. Masked agents have greatly degraded trust in law enforcement, allowing abusive officers to act with perceived impunity, and enabled bad actors to impersonate agents by simply wearing a facial covering and purchasing generic police insignia.

28. A Senator Peters amendment prohibiting DHS from using spyware on United States citizens. ICE spent $2 million dollars of taxpayer money on spyware from Paragon Solutions, a company whose spyware is used by autocrats against political opponents and dissidents around the world. ICE has refused to provide Congress with any details about how – and under what legal justification – it uses this spyware, which enables accessing encrypted messages, call logs, photos, location data, and even activate microphones and cameras on personal devices without the user’s knowledge.

29. A Senator Blumenthal amendment to redirect $1 billion from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to the Nonprofit Security Grant Program within FEMA at DHS, which funds security improvements at sensitive locations such as synagogues, mosques, and churches. The frequency of attacks on places of worship has increased, and just yesterday, three people were killed during an attack on a mosque in San Diego. In March, a Hezbollah-inspired attacked attempted to ram a vehicle in a Michigan synagogue with dozens of children inside. The Nonprofit Security Grant program helps nonprofits and faith-based organizations protect their facilities against potential attacks.

30. A Senator Peters amendment to redirect $995 million from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to the DHS Inspector General for necessary oversight and accountability. Increased funding is necessary to ensure the Inspector General’s Office can continue to conduct independent oversight to root out waste, fraud, and abuse at DHS.

31. A Senator Peters amendment to fund the Cybersecurity and Information Security Agency for Fiscal Year 2026, with funds available until the end of Fiscal Year 2029. This agency is responsible for protecting our nation’s critical infrastructure from physical and cybersecurity threats, which is especially critical as our nation faces increased threats stemming from the President’s war in Iran.

32. A Senator Peters amendment to redirect funds from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to U.S. Coast Guard counter-drug trafficking operations. The Coast Guard remains an effective resource in the fight against illegal drug trafficking, allowing for the legal interdiction of dangerous narcotics.

33. A Senator Peters amendment to fund counterterrorism operations amid increased terrorist threats caused by the President’s war in Iran. The Trump Administration’s recent counterterrorism report notably disregards the increased threats that the President’s war has created, leaving our nation vulnerable to terror attacks.

34. A Senator Peters amendment to redirect $1 billion of unspent funds from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) to prepare for future public health emergencies, including to respond to Ebola and Hantavirus. The Trump Administration’s flawed response to the COVID-19 pandemic had deadly consequences, and our country must be prepared for the next infectious outbreak. A 2022 Peters report identified reforms to better prepare for future public crises, including sustained investment in public health response agencies.

35. A Senator Hassan amendment to redirect $1 billion in funding for Trump’s East Wing ballroom project to counter child sex exploitation. After promising for months that the ballroom would be completely paid for with private funds, the White House is now attempting to spend $1 billion in taxpayer funds on President Trump’s vanity project. Those funds could be better spent protecting children.

36. A Senator Hassan amendment to redirect $1 billion in funding for Trump’s East Wing ballroom project to the National Counterterrorism Center. Given the rising terrorist threats our nation faces due to the President’s war in Iran, these funds would be better spent protecting the security and safety of the American people.

37. A Senator Peters amendment to redirect all unspent funds from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to reduce the national deficit. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act is projected to add $4.2 trillion to the deficit over 10 years through tax cuts for the ultrawealthy, putting our nation’s economic health at risk.

38. A Senator Hassan amendment to prohibit any taxpayer funds from being spent on President Trump’s gilded ballroom project. At a time when families across the country are facing increased costs for everything from fuel to food and housing, the last thing taxpayer dollars should fund is the President’s ballroom.

39. A Senator Blumenthal amendment to prohibit any funding for President Trump’s ballroom until the project’s private donors, donation amounts, fundraising solicitation records, and construction contracts are made public. The American people deserve transparency about just who is funding this project to determine whether there are any conflicts of interests with the Administration’s policy making decisions. 

40. A Senator Blumenthal amendment to prohibit the use of funds on the East Wing Modernization project except through a competitive bidding process. The Trump Administration continues to award no-contract bids for government projects to companies with ties to the President, his family, and members of his cabinet, such as the ongoing renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

41. A Senator Blumenthal amendment to establish a Congressional Oversight Panel for the East Wing Modernization project. The President has not been transparent with the American people about who is funding this project or how much it costs, but is now seeking an additional $1 billion in taxpayer money for construction.

42. A Senator Blumenthal amendment requiring a report from the bipartisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) on fundraising, contractor selection, contracts, and construction management for the Trump’s ballroom. The President has not been transparent with the American people about who is funding this project, how much it costs, or how contracts are being awarded to conduct construction work. 

43. A Senator Blumenthal amendment to place additional guardrails on the White House’s construction and demolition process, including requiring congressional authorization for the use of private funds for improvements to the White House. The President previously ordered the illegal demolition of the historic East Wing to begin construction on his ballroom without appropriate approvals from Congress or other planning authorities. 

44. A Senator Blumenthal amendment directing $5 million to provide for full disclosure to the committee of all records related to the two contracts worth more than $220 million for an ad campaign featuring then-Secretary Kristi Noem. One contract was awarded to a company that had personal ties to Noem, and which had only formed days before the contract was awarded.

45. A Senator Blumenthal amendment prohibiting government funds from going toward claims submitted by those convicted of committing violence against law enforcement on January 6. President Trump recently announced the creation of a slush fund to reward his political allies who were convicted of attacking the Capitol and attempting to prevent the certification of the 2020 presidential election.

46. A Senator Blumenthal amendment that would bar the payment of claims from a Judgement Fund related to conduct on January 6 to those convicted of child sex crimes since President Trump’s inauguration. President Trump recently announced the creation of a slush fund to reward his political allies who were convicted of attacking the Capitol and attempting to prevent the certification of the 2020 presidential election.

47. A Senator Hassan amendment directing $500,000 for DHS to review conflicts of interest in procuring advertisements. Government contracts should be awarded on a competitive basis, and not to friends, family members or allies of the President or his cabinet.

48. A Senator Hassan amendment directing $500,000 in funding for DHS review of contracting conflicts of interest involving special government employees. While at the Department, Cory Lewandowski reportedly told prospective contractors that they would need to pay him to receive their contracts. Government contracts should be awarded on a competitive basis, and not to friends, family members or allies of the President or his cabinet.

49. A Senator Slotkin amendment setting aside $5 million for the Office of Government Ethics to implement a ban on insider trading in prediction markets for all executive branch employees, cabinet officials, the president and vice president. In the hours before strikes on Iran, hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of bets were placed on the outcome on prediction markets, netting insiders potentially millions of dollars. While insider trading bets are already banned, this funding will ensure implementation and accountability to root out corruption at our government’s highest level.

50. A Senator Gallego amendment prohibiting the President’s newly announced $1.8 billion slush fund for his political allies from being used to pay President Donald Trump or family members in any legal settlement.

51. A Senator Peters amendment redirecting $2 billion in unspent One Big Beautiful Bill Act funds to the Department of Veterans Affairs to expand and improve medical care and housing for veterans who served our country with honor.

52. A Senator Hassan amendment prohibiting any funds from being spent on Trump’s ballroom funding and restoring enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits for two years. Republicans allowed these tax credits to expire in order to pay for tax cuts for billionaires and caused health care premiums to spike for more than ten million Americans. At a time when Americans are facing rising costs, these tax credits would help lower their health care premiums and ensure that more people can access affordable health care.

53. A Senator Peters amendment redirecting $1 billion in unspent One Big Beautiful Bill Act funds to the USDA Farmer Bridge Assistance program to provide relief for farmers. Trump’s war of choice in Iran has caused increases in costs for fuel and fertilizer, which increases costs for farmers and will lead to increased food costs for Americans. 

54. A Senator Hassan amendment prohibiting the image of the President from being displayed on the exterior of federal building, which President Trump has done on buildings throughout Washington, D.C.

55. A Senator Hassan amendment reaffirming the Kennedy Center’s name, which Trump has moved to name after himself.

56. A Senator Blumenthal amendment redirecting unspent funds from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to the Justice Department’s Inspector General to investigate allegations of FBI Director Kash Patel’s excessive drinking. Director Patel has reportedly been excessively intoxicated and unreachable multiple times while heading the Department, and there must be a thorough investigation into his actions and their impact on the nation’s safety.

57. A Senator Peters amendment to include his bipartisan CBPO Retirement Technical Corrections Act, which has passed the Senate unanimously. The inserted legislation would fix a retirement benefit error for a group of approximately 1400 CBP officers, who have been denied an enhanced retirement benefit they were promised when hired without having to retire at a certain age or reach 20-years of service to qualify for the benefit. This amendment would fix DHS’ mistake and ensure these public servants get the retirement benefit the government promised to them.

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