Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.) said he was “surprised” and “disturbed” to see so many House Democrats decline to get behind legislation expressing support for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The House on Wednesday passed a resolution — sponsored by Higgins — supporting ICE and condemning the idea of abolishing the agency.
The non-binding resolution — which was brought to the House floor in response to Democrats’ introducing a bill to dismantle ICE and then announcing they would vote “no” on their own measure — passed 244-35 with 133 Democrats voting “present.”
“I was surprised that so many of my colleagues across the aisle apparently lack the courage of their convictions,” Higgins said on “Outnumbered Overtime.”
He said to see so many Democrats vote “present” was “disturbing” because Americans don’t elect lawmakers to go to Washington, D.C., and “be silent.”
“We should have vigorous and sometimes contentious debate regarding the important challenges that we face as a nation. That’s why we can vote ‘yes’ or ‘no,'” Higgins said.
As for the calls from some on the left to abolish ICE, Higgins said that would only help those that ICE opposes, including drug dealers, human traffickers and terrorists.
