The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has formally backed a resolution calling for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Newsweek reports that DNC members approved the measure Saturday during the party’s summer meeting in Austin, Texas, calling on congressional Democrats to pass legislation eliminating ICE and winding down the federal immigration detention system.
The resolution also calls for withholding Department of Homeland Security funding unless the administration ends a series of enforcement practices, including workplace raids, large-scale roundups and arrests at courthouses and ICE check-ins.
It additionally demands the closure of immigration detention facilities, the termination of private detention contracts and the release of most immigration detainees while their cases proceed.
The vote makes abolishing ICE a position formally endorsed by the DNC, although it does not amend the Democratic Party’s official national platform.
“Our official party positions are determined at the convention every four years in our platform,” said DNC Chairman Ken Martin.
“However, clearly, the one thing that unites Democrats, regardless of their position on reform versus abolish or whatever other ways to change what’s happening, is people believe that what ICE is doing right now and CBP and the federal government should stop.”
The resolution goes further than the position adopted by Democratic congressional leadership.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Sunday that Democrats are committed to “dramatically reforming ICE,” but stopped short of supporting its abolition.
“Clearly ICE is completely and totally out of control,” he said in an interview with NBC.
Hakeem Jeffries dodges on if he would vote to abolish ICE if Democrats take control of the House.
NBC: “Would you bring a vote to abolish ICE to the House floor?”
JEFFRIES: “Clearly ICE is completely and totally out of control.” pic.twitter.com/Jxu1zPUI7W
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) August 16, 2026
The White House condemned the DNC vote and defended the brave federal immigration officers.
“Instead of trying to abolish ICE, Democrats should be thanking ICE law enforcement officers for putting their lives on the line to arrest and remove murderers, rapists, pedophiles, and gang members from American communities,” said White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis told the magazine magazine.
Border czar Tom Homan has maintained that the administration is committed to its deportation agenda and claimed that arrests and deportations are currently at record levels.
“We have record numbers of arrests and deportations, making this country safer again,” he said.
”You’re not going to stop us. I just don’t understand why this is a partisan issue.”
The DNC resolution would put the national party organization behind dismantling the agency carrying out much of that enforcement.
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