Most House Democrats voted “present” Tuesday on a resolution aimed at forcing them to clarify whether they support U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, after some Democrats have criticized the agency’s role in enforcing U.S. immigration laws.
The House passed a nonbinding resolution saying lawmakers support the “officers and personnel who carry out the important mission of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement.” A two-thirds majority was needed to pass it, and because Democrats voted “present” instead of “no,” it passed easily in a 244-35 vote.
The final vote saw just 18 Democrats vote for the resolution, and 34 Democrats vote against it. But the vast majority of Democrats, 133, voted “present.”
A vote on the resolution came after Republican leaders decided to abandon a plan to force Democrats to vote on a bill authored by one of their own lawmakers that would terminate ICE within a year and farm out some ICE functions to other agencies.
Some Republicans objected to taking up the Democrats’ bill because, they argued, it would give Democrats in tough swing states a chance to vote against abolishing ICE, a politically questionable position that is now associated with the party.
A recent poll showed very few people support abolishing ICE, which carries out all interior immigration enforcement and also combats associated gang violence, drug smuggling, and human trafficking.
But some Democrats have accused ICE of separating immigration families at the border. The trio of Democrats who sponsored the Abolish ICE bill last week announced they would vote against it if House GOP leaders bring it to the floor for a vote, and on Wednesday, they accused the GOP of playing politics.
Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., said GOP resolution “shows an important contrast,” between the two parties ahead of the midterm elections.
“We stand up for our ICE agents and the people that are keeping America safe,” Scalise said. “They want to get rid of them. It’s a radical idea they have, and this resolution’s really important.”
