Bill Aims to Abolish ICE, Enhance Community Care, and Health Programs

Bill Aims to Dismantle ICE and Shift Focus to Community Well-Being

Statement by National Nurses United on the Reimagining Safety Act:

"National Nurses United (NNU), representing over 225,000 registered nurses across the United States, has declared its support for Representative Delia Ramirez’s Reimagining Safety Act. The proposed legislation seeks to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), disband the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), end immigration enforcement collaborations with local law enforcement, close Guantanamo Bay, and create the Department of Community Safety. The bill also aims to significantly invest in social safety programs, including Medicare for All, aligning with the core values of nurses striving for a healthier society.

"By repealing the Homeland Security Act of 2002, Representative Ramirez is making a significant move towards prioritizing public welfare over enforcement, healthcare over military interventions, and dismantling one of the most controversial agencies of the recent century.

"The Trump administration's use of DHS agencies has been criticized for promoting inhumane policies. ICE has been accused of acting as a paramilitary entity, with its funding used as leverage against other critical agencies like FEMA. Reports of ICE activities causing distress from Minnesota to New York highlight the agency's impact. The loss of lives, including those of registered nurse Alex Pretti, Renée Nicole Good, and Joan Sebastian Guerrero, and others, underscores the agency's contentious presence.

"The escalation of violence under a federal agency, exacerbated by increased ICE budgets under Trump, has been criticized for diverting resources from essential services, including healthcare, often described as the 'big ugly bill.'"

"The moral imperative to rethink ICE's existence is emphasized, noting its relatively recent establishment and historical role in intimidating immigrant communities. Congress is urged to dismantle this agency and envision a healthier societal framework."

A July 2026 report by NNU identified over 600 safety net hospitals at risk due to financial pressures from policies under President Trump and Congressional Republicans’ H.R. 1. These closures threaten to force patients to travel long distances for care, risking job losses for nurses.

The Reimagining Safety Act proposes reallocating funds from ICE to public health initiatives, including Medicare for All, universal childcare, free public education, and climate justice, aiming to build safer communities.

National Nurses United proudly endorses this legislation, reiterating its longstanding demand for the abolition of ICE.

NNU has consistently called for ICE’s abolition. Nurses have organized multiple actions to protect nurses from detention and advocate against community harassment and danger.

National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the United States with more than 225,000 members nationwide. NNU affiliates include California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, DC Nurses Association, Michigan Nurses Association, Minnesota Nurses Association, and New York State Nurses Association.

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