WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
  • Ramirez proposed dismantling DHS and abolishing ICE.
  • Melugin noted the plan would also affect Border Patrol, CBP, the Coast Guard, and the Secret Service.
  • Gill criticized Ramirez’s immigration and citizenship positions.
  • The lawmakers clashed over enforcement, citizenship, and national identity.

Texas Republican Rep. Brandon Gill and Illinois Democratic Rep. Delia Ramirez traded sharp attacks this week after Ramirez announced legislation that would dismantle the Department of Homeland Security and abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement while redirecting federal funding toward social programs.

The clash came after Fox News reporter Bill Melugin highlighted Ramirez’s proposal, called the “Reimagining Safety Act,” which she planned to introduce in Chicago.

“NEW: Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-IL), who has said she is a “proud anchor baby”, will hold a press conference in Chicago tomorrow morning to introduce legislation that would “dismantle DHS” & “abolish ICE”,” Melugin wrote.

According to Melugin, Ramirez said her legislation would strip DHS of its existing authorities and move the department’s funding elsewhere.

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“Ramirez says her “Reimagining Safety Act” would “repeal the authorities that give DHS its power, and redirect all funds from DHS to programs that working families rely on,” as well as “create a new human- and community-centered federal department that promotes collective safety."”

The proposal would extend beyond ICE because DHS includes several other federal agencies responsible for immigration enforcement, border operations, maritime security and protection of government officials.

Melugin noted that broader effect while discussing Ramirez’s plan.

“Keep in mind, dismantling all of DHS would include dismantling Border Patrol, CBP, the Coast Guard, and Secret Service, not just ICE.”

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Gill, a 26-year-old Republican who has made immigration a major focus of his public messaging, responded to Ramirez’s proposal by criticizing her approach to immigration enforcement and citizenship.

The Texas congressman has also backed the Citizenship Act, which would significantly narrow automatic birthright citizenship for children born to people he describes as “invaders.”

Ramirez responded to Gill during the exchange by invoking “Latina power,” shifting the dispute from the mechanics of her legislation to a broader argument over identity, immigration, and citizenship.

Gill then issued a lengthy response centered on what he described as “American Power” and the ability of the United States to determine who enters the country and who receives citizenship.

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“I believe in American Power— which means being able to control who comes into our country and that the golden ticket of citizenship should belong to Americans first and Americans only,” Gill said.

Gill then turned directly to Ramirez’s family background, arguing that she benefited from the country’s birthright citizenship rules.

“Your parents were illegal aliens who showed no regard for our nation or its laws when they came here. You should be beyond grateful that a legal loophole allowed you to enjoy the fruits of a first world nation.”

The Texas Republican argued that Ramirez’s effort to end immigration enforcement conflicts with what he believes American citizenship should represent.

“Instead, you're working to end immigration enforcement, telling actual Americans that their birthright doesn't belong to them and that our nation and its culture has no meaning or value to you.”

Gill concluded by accusing Ramirez of identifying more strongly with Guatemala than with the United States.

“You have no love or appreciation for America because, at the end of the day, you still proudly consider yourself a Guatemalan before you are a citizen of America."

The exchange comes as Gill continues emphasizing illegal immigration and cultural issues in his public appearances.

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He also addressed immigration during the Republican midterm convention earlier in September.

Ramirez’s proposal would take a fundamentally different approach to immigration enforcement by removing the authorities currently exercised through DHS and ICE and redirecting federal funding toward programs she says working families rely on.

Her plan would also establish a new federal department built around what she describes as a “human- and community-centered” approach to safety.

The dispute between Gill and Ramirez reflects competing views over the role of federal immigration enforcement, the meaning of citizenship, and whether agencies such as ICE and DHS should continue operating in their current form.

For Gill, the issue centers on maintaining federal authority over the border and restricting citizenship to those he believes should qualify under a narrower interpretation of the law.

Ramirez, by contrast, is advancing legislation that would dismantle the current DHS structure and replace it with a new approach focused on social programs and community-based policies.

Their confrontation quickly became personal, with Ramirez invoking “Latina power” and Gill responding with an argument about national identity, citizenship, and assimilation.

 

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