Representative Ilhan Omar has introduced the Make ICE Pay Act, which would redirect approximately $140 billion from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol funding to communities across the United States. The legislation aims to provide economic relief and social services to areas affected by immigration enforcement operations, representing a substantial shift in federal spending priorities. The proposal has promptly attracted strong opposition from conservative politicians and commentators, who argue it prioritises protecting undocumented immigrants over law enforcement.

The funding would be administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development over three years and distributed through local jurisdictions to support schools, healthcare, psychological services and other community needs. Omar framed the legislation as a response to enforcement operations in Minnesota. With Republicans controlling both Congress and the White House, passage of the bill is considered unlikely. Conservative critics, including Senator Jim Banks and Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, have condemned the proposal as defunding law enforcement and weakening border security.