ACLU – March 23, 2026

Today, the president sent untrained Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to airports across the country during the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown – a move that will only create more chaos, apprehension, and confusion for travelers. Never in our history has a president deployed armed agents to the airport to inspire fear among families in this way.

The president is using what he sees as his personal police force to pressure Congress into writing a blank check for ICE and Border Patrol, as the Senate could vote on a funding bill for DHS any day now.

Any funding to ICE and Border Patrol must be conditioned on major reforms to protect our neighbors and rein in their lawless attacks on protesters and immigrants alike.

Tell Congress: No funding for ICE and Border Patrol without accountability and reform.

President Trump and his allies in Congress refused to fund TSA and manufactured a crisis at airports across the country. But they can fix this problem immediately by striking a deal that includes commonsense reforms to rein in ICE and Border Patrol.

Over 415,000 ACLU members like you have contacted your representatives in Congress, demanding that they hold the line and refuse to write a blank check for ICE’s abuse. And Congress is listening. We’ve heard from Congressional offices that they’re seeing your emails flood in, and it’s making a difference. In fact, thanks to voices like yours, they’ve refused to fund these reckless operations for over a month.

Yet even still, the horrors perpetrated by these agencies continue. Deaths in ICE custody are at a 20-year high. Courts have found that the agency has an illegal policy of warrantless arrests and is ignoring court orders left and right.

ICE and Border Patrol won’t reform themselves. Even if you’ve already taken action, now is the moment to send a message again and flood Congress’ inboxes with public calls for change.

Congress should use its funding power to end the horrifying, inhumane, and illegal treatment of immigrants and stop ICE’s attacks on our communities. Urge your representatives to vote NO on any no-strings-attached funding for ICE and Border Patrol.

Our communities depend on Congress holding strong and defending our rights.

Thank you for all you do,

Kate Voigt
Pronouns: She, her, hers
Senior Policy Counsel, ACLU

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American Civil Liberties Union
125 Broad Street, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10004, USA