Pressley Has Also Championed Legislation to End Qualified Immunity for ICE Agents, Federal Law Enforcement

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley issued the following statement after voting NO on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations bill, which included an additional $28 billion for Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with no accountability. Congresswoman Pressley continues to call for abolishing ICE and ending qualified immunity for ICE agents. 

“ICE is a rogue, violent agency that has operated with callous disregard for human life. They have terrorized our communities, kidnapped our neighbors, and killed people on the street with impunity—which is why I voted HELL NO to giving them a single penny,” said Congresswoman Pressley. “There is no reforming this lawless agency and Congress should not be funding their campaign of cruelty. We must abolish ICE, end qualified immunity for ICE agents, and dismantle the systems of oppression that have gotten us to this point.”

Last week, following the ICE murder of Renee Good, Congresswoman Pressley and Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) introduced the Qualified Immunity Abolition Act of 2026, which builds on the lawmakers’ prior work by granting victims the right to sue federal law enforcement officers—not just state and local—for civil rights violations and abolishing the defense of qualified immunity in these suits. The expanded legislation would help deliver accountability for families abused by law enforcement, including ICE agents.

Congresswoman Pressley delivered a floor speech on the need to end qualified immunity for federal law enforcement, including immigration officers. Watch the floor speech here.

Earlier this month, Congresswoman Pressley condemned the ICE murder of Renee Good in Minnesota and motioned to subpoena all records and footage related to the shooting, but Republicans obstructed it. Footage of Congresswoman Pressley’s motion to subpoena is here.

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