Oregon Rep. Salinas Votes Against Funding for DHS and DOD, Cites “Unlawful Behavior”

Oregon — U.S. Rep. Andrea Salinas (D-OR) voted against House appropriations bills funding the Departments of Homeland Security and Defense, saying she could not support the measures without changes to immigration enforcement practices and greater congressional oversight of military operations.

“I voted against bills to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Defense (DoD),” Salinas said in a statement following the vote. “ICE has instilled terror in our communities, detained children, and violated due process and Fourth Amendment rights.”

Salinas’ opposition comes amid heightened scrutiny of immigration enforcement following several high-profile federal operations that resulted in civilian deaths, including U.S. citizens. Those incidents have prompted calls from Democratic lawmakers for additional safeguards, such as judicial warrants for certain arrests and the use of body cameras by immigration agents.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, an agency within Department of Homeland Security, operates under statutory authorities granted by Congress, including provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Under current law, immigration officers may in some circumstances conduct arrests without a judicial warrant, a point summarized in Congressional Research Service (CRS) analyses of immigration enforcement authority.

Salinas said recent events demonstrate systemic problems. “Their violent tactics have resulted in the deaths of immigrants and U.S. citizens, and ICE continues to lie to Congress and the public about their actions,” she said. While lawmakers have accused DHS agencies of providing incomplete or misleading information during oversight hearings, no court has made a general finding that ICE routinely provides false testimony.

Salinas also voted against the DoD appropriations bill, despite backing some individual provisions. “While I support pieces of the package, including the education and mental health funding, I cannot support taxpayer funding for the Department of Defense and President Trump’s out-of-control actions, such as illegal military operations on foreign soil,” she said.

The Trump administration has repeatedly defended overseas military operations as lawful exercises of presidential authority under existing congressional authorizations and the Constitution.