'Primary Every Single One of Them': 18 Democrats Join GOP to Pass House Resolution Embracing ICE

Demonstrators hold a rally in the Little village neighborhood calling for the elimination of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and an end to family detentions on June 29, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images)

'Primary Every Single One of Them': 18 Democrats Join GOP to Pass House Resolution Embracing ICE

Denouncing the resolution as a political stunt by the Republican majority, 133 House Democrats opted to vote "present" instead of yes or no

Amid surging grassroots outcry against ICE's heinous abuses and as a growing number of Democratic voters want the agency to be abolished entirely, 18 House Democrats joined hands with a nearly unanimous GOP caucus on Wednesday to pass a symbolic resolution that expresses "continued support" for ICE and denounces those calling for its elimination.

Responding to the vote on Twitter, Splinter's Sophie Weiner declared simply, "Primary every single one of them."

As Alex Kotch reported for The Young Turks, at least one of the Democrats who voted yes--Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas)--has accepted and defended donations from the private prison industry, which is seeing a massive profit increase thanks to President Donald Trump's inhumane anti-immigrant agenda.

Denouncing the resolution as a political stunt by the Republican majority, 133 House Democrats opted to vote "present" instead of yes or no. The measure, which Trump praised in a tweet Thursday morning, passed by an overwhelming margin of 244-35.

Here are the 18 House Democrats who voted in favor of the GOP-crafted resolution:

As nearly 20 of their colleagues joined every Republican except Rep. Justin Amash (Mich.) in voting for the enthusiastically pro-ICE resolution, 34 House Democrats--some of whom want to abolish ICE--voted against the resolution.

The House GOP's non-binding resolution comes as demonstrations against ICE's tactics and the administration that has empowered the agency continue to spread throughout the nation.

On Wednesday, anti-ICE demonstrators braved the sweltering heat in Miramar, Florida to set up tents in the middle of a city roadway and demand that the state shut down a nearby federal detention facility, where immigrants have reportedly faced abusive treatment.

Amid this grassroots outcry, Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.)--who voted present on Wednesday's resolution--officially introduced legislation last week that would abolish the agency within a year. Pocan's bill currently has eight Democratic co-sponsors.

Join Us: News for people demanding a better world


Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place.

We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference.

Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. Join with us today!

Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.