Congress has exercised minimal oversight over ICE, but that might change

Congress has handed ICE a blank check, dramatically increasing its funding without exercising oversight.

By: Claire Leavitt, Smith College, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: February 4, 2026

Words: 1,192

Last Updated: 1 month ago

Body Text Preview

By Claire Leavitt, Smith College

President Donald Trump and Congress agreed to separate funding for the Department of Homeland Security from a larger spending bill that enables the federal government to continue operations. They now face a self-imposed deadline of Feb. 13, 2026, to negotiate potential changes to immigration enforcement.

The fact that funding for the department – and in particular Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE – has become politically contentious represents a …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

Email Us