Auchincloss: ICE Has Tons of Money Despite Shutdown, Wish Dems Had More Agencies to Leverage

Rep. Auchincloss says ICE has a large budget while other agencies face funding issues during government shutdown.

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

In an interview on CNN, Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-MA) acknowledged that ICE has a significant amount of funding even with the Department of Homeland Security shutdown, and expressed frustration that 21 Democrats voted with Republicans to fund other government agencies instead of using that leverage to impose policy changes on ICE.

Why it matters

The debate over ICE funding and priorities reflects a broader partisan divide over immigration enforcement, with Democrats arguing the agency has been overfunded and lacks proper oversight, while Republicans contend it plays a vital role in border security.

The details

Auchincloss said Republicans had 'tripled ICE's budget' last year, giving the agency more funding than 'crime, gun trafficking, drug trafficking, corruption, counterterrorism combined at the federal level.' He believes this is a 'misallocation of resources and priorities' that should come with policy riders ensuring 'rule of law, due process, and protections of civil rights.' Auchincloss argued Democrats had more leverage when the appropriations process involved multiple funding bills, rather than just one omnibus bill that some Democrats voted to pass.

  • The interview took place on Tuesday, February 17, 2026.

The players

Rep. Jake Auchincloss

A Democratic Congressman from Massachusetts who was critical of the funding levels for ICE compared to other federal law enforcement priorities.

Brianna Keilar

The CNN News Central co-host who interviewed Rep. Auchincloss.

Secretary Noem

The Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“You're right that ICE was given a blank check last year. Republicans tripled its budget such that now there is more money going towards ICE than there is towards crime, gun trafficking, drug trafficking, corruption, counterterrorism combined at the federal level.”

— Rep. Jake Auchincloss, Congressman (CNN News Central)

“Democrats had more leverage when the appropriations process had six different funding bills, as opposed to just one, in front of us, which is why it was frustrating to see 21 Democrats defect and vote with Republicans to fund those five other bills.”

— Rep. Jake Auchincloss, Congressman (CNN News Central)

What’s next

The debate over ICE funding levels and priorities is likely to continue as Congress negotiates future appropriations bills.

The takeaway

This case highlights the partisan divide over immigration enforcement, with Democrats arguing ICE has been overfunded at the expense of other law enforcement priorities, while Republicans contend the agency plays a vital role in border security that deserves robust funding.