House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) slammed Democrats for introducing a bill to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), then backing away from voting for the own bill.
McCarthy spoke on the House floor ahead of the vote on a GOP-sponsored resolution to express support for ICE agents, which resulted in all Republicans voting yes, only 18 Democrats joining the yes vote, and 34 Democrats voting against it.
The vast majority of Democrats — 133 — voted “present.”
“Democrats don’t seem to agree about their bill,” McCarthy said. “They lack the courage of their so-called convictions.”
“Because when we offered to bring the ‘Abolish ICE’ bill to the floor, Democrats said they would vote against it,” McCarthy said. “The Democrats wanted the glory of introducing a far-left bill—but they didn’t have the guts to accept the consequences.”
McCarthy praised ICE in his floor speech, pointing out the agency is on the frontline of protecting Americans and communities from human and drug traffickers and dangerous and vicious gangs like MS-13.
“Still, the Democrats say they want to abolish this agency,” McCarthy said, adding that polls showed that only one in four Americans support the so-called “Abolish Ice” movement.
“We are about to vote on a resolution to support the law-enforcement officers of ICE—and renounce the activist campaign against them,” McCarthy said.
McCarthy named six ICE officers who lost their lives doing their jobs —Special Agent Brian Beliso, Special Agent Timothy Ensley, Special Agent Lorenzo Gomez, Special Agent Scott McGuire, Special Agent David Wilhelm, and Special Agent Jaime Zapata.
“These agents gave their lives in the line of duty,” McCarthy said. “Thousands more of these agents risk their lives every day on your behalf.”
“I want you to pause for one moment and think about those agents, think about those families, and think about those thousands of agents who are defending our border,” McCarthy said.
McCarthy criticized the Democrats for showing contempt for the men and women in ICE uniforms and concluded by saying he and his colleagues should stand with them.
“That is why I am happy to offer Congressman (Clay) Higgins’ (R-LA) resolution—and to stand with the men and women of ICE. Because I want a safer America.”
“And for those who gave their lives for us—I will stand with them,” McCarthy said. “Even when it means standing against the new socialist Democratic Party.”
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