Congress Must Protect Civil Rights and Place Clear Guardrails on DHS

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WASHINGTON, DC — UnidosUS President and CEO Janet Murguía issued the following statement after the U.S. Senate rejected an appropriations bill funding several agencies, including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, through Fiscal Year 2026:

“We applaud the bipartisan group of senators who stood up and voted against this appropriations bill. It contained even more money for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to continue their ongoing lawless, abusive and lethal attacks against American communities.

“Like the majority of Americans, we are sickened and outraged by the scenes from Minneapolis over the last few weeks — Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good shot and killed in broad daylight, peaceful protesters assaulted and children as young as five years of age are being detained in the freezing cold and used as pawns by DHS. Sadly, civil rights violations and excessive use of force by federal immigration agents have become too common across the country over the past year.

“The Trump administration has pursued a campaign of violence and intimidation against American communities. It is clear that Congress cannot approve additional DHS funding until clear guardrails are put in place to stop government overreach and the abuse of power. We need Congress to perform its constitutional duty and put a check on this administration: protect civil rights, ensure accountability and transparency, and uphold the rule of law.

“As the federal government is now poised to enter a partial shutdown, the president and the congressional majorities in both the Senate and the House of Representatives have a responsibility to work in good faith to address the lawless actions of DHS and re-open the government.”

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