Columbus U.S. Rep. Joyce Beatty introduced a bill this week to reform Immigration and Customs Enforcement as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security faces leadership changes after President Donald Trump fired DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.
Beatty said in a statement on Facebook she's relieved Noem was removed from her cabinet post. Noem oversaw controversial immigration enforcement in Minnesota and Operation Buckeye, a large immigration enforcement operation in Ohio that led to hundreds of arrests, only 10 of which DHS confirmed had previous criminal convictions.
“(Noem's) selfishness and complete lack of qualifications is why she should have never been in the role to begin with," Beatty said.
Beatty said Noem and President Donald Trump weaponized DHS to instill fear and terrorize immigrant communities.
Beatty's new bill would mandate body cameras for ICE agents, require the officers to display clear ID, forbid masks and require de-escalation training.
“It’s clear: ICE, as an institution, is fundamentally broken, and the harm it has caused is already too great. Reform is paramount, and it must happen quickly, before more people are hurt,” Beatty said in a statement.
Beatty held a closed door roundtable in Columbus with local leaders in January. She previously signed onto articles of impeachment for Noem.
No Republicans have signed on as co-sponsors for Beatty's bill. Congressman Mike Carey's office didn't respond to a request for comment.
Other central Ohio representatives, including Troy Balderson, Dave Taylor and Jim Jordan, haven't posted statements about Beatty's bill or Noem's firing. Jordan, on Facebook, has repeatedly posted news articles in the last week applauding Trump's immigration enforcement in states like Virginia and Massachusetts.
