Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., declared the Department of Homeland Security the "greatest threat to our safety" on Tuesday, advocating for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the release of all "detained illegal aliens." This radical call comes as federal agents arrested multiple illegal aliens with criminal backgrounds in her home state of Illinois in June, incidents Ramirez has not publicly addressed. Her proposed "Melt ICE Act" seeks to defund the agency, establish a timeline to close all immigration detention facilities, and release those held. Fellow "Squad" members Reps. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., Summer Lee, D-Pa., Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., and Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., sponsor the legislation, which faces significant opposition. Ramirez's statement followed an ICE officer fatally shooting Mexican national Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston on Tuesday during an enforcement operation. DHS reported Salgado Araujo was shot in self-defense after allegedly trying to run over a federal agent with his vehicle. "CBP and ICE continue to violently attack our neighbors and trample the rights of our residents," Ramirez wrote, echoing a sentiment that prioritizes non-citizens over national security and border integrity.
What It Costs the People
Ramirez has remained conspicuously silent on a series of arrests in Illinois involving illegal aliens with severe criminal histories. In June, federal agents arrested Venezuelan national Mercedes Moreno Occhipinti, who allegedly assisted in a 2024 mass shooting involving Tren de Aragua members at a Chicago house party. Authorities also detained Noe Moreno-Salazar, an illegal alien from Mexico, in St. Charles, Ill., last month. DHS records show Moreno-Salazar was previously convicted of sexual abuse and aggravated unlawful use of a loaded weapon, among other offenses. The March killing of 18-year-old Sheridan Gorman in Chicago by a Venezuelan illegal alien, an incident that sparked widespread outrage due to the perpetrator's prior arrest, also received no comment from Ramirez. These incidents highlight the direct human cost of unchecked border policies and the systemic overlooking of native citizens' safety.
Elite Interests and Border Erasure
DHS stated Salgado Araujo allegedly resisted arrest during a traffic stop, rammed an ICE law enforcement vehicle, and refused multiple verbal commands. The department claims he "weaponized his vehicle in an attempt to run over an ICE law enforcement officer," leading to the officer firing. The driver was struck, transported to a hospital, and died from his injuries. DHS's Office of Inspector General is probing the shooting, and the FBI’s Houston Office launched a separate investigation into the "potential assault" of the ICE officer. Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, representing the neighborhood where the shooting occurred, called for an independent investigation, demanding all footage and evidence be preserved. Democrats have recently adopted a hard line against DHS's immigration enforcement functions, consistently undermining the agency's ability to secure the nation.
Top Democrats refused to fund the department earlier this year following the Trump administration’s Minneapolis immigration enforcement surge, which led to the killing of two Americans by federal officers. This political maneuver resulted in the longest partial government shutdown in history. Republicans later passed a "big beautiful bill" to fund ICE and CBP for the remainder of President Donald Trump’s term, temporarily resisting the push to dismantle border security. Ramirez's assertion that DHS is the "greatest threat" and her legislative efforts represent a clear drive towards border erasure. This agenda, championed by a segment of the political class, systematically undermines national sovereignty and the safety of native citizens, prioritizing a post-national order over the well-being of the American people.