A member of the US House of Representatives has introduced legislation to dismantle the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) alongside Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and establish a new federal Department of Community Safety.
Democratic Representative Delia Ramirez stated that the proposed Reimagining Safety Act is designed to replace the post-9/11 cabinet department with a community-centred agency focused on public safety, civil rights, and direct support for working families.
The bill would formally repeal the statutory authorities underpinning DHS, redirect federal funding towards community-level initiatives, and place strict prohibitions on government surveillance, the unlawful utilisation of personal data, and militarised border enforcement.
"DHS was founded out of a profound national trauma, established to violate our rights under the pretence of securing our safety," Ramirez said, pointing to the department's creation following the September 11, 2001, attacks.
"But we cannot add new pains to old ones."
Restructuring civil immigration
Under the legislative proposal, several established federal components would remain operational, including the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and core customs administration functions.
In contrast, ICE and CBP would be completely dissolved.
The legislation would simultaneously inaugurate a dedicated civil immigration system removed from criminal and militarised law enforcement structures.
Ramirez explained that the measure is prompted by systemic concerns over immigration enforcement, fatal incidents inside detention facilities, family separations, third-country deportations, armed confrontations involving immigration officers, and documented failures in emergency disaster management.
