Ocasio-Cortez Calls on Congress to Defund ICE in Fiery Presser: ‘They Do Not Deserve a Dime’

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called on Congress to defund the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency at an emotional press conference on Thursday.

The young New York Democrat called Trump’s claim he wanted more legal immigration “a lie,” pointing to the presidents’ policies geared a reducing immigration and targeting immigrants.

“Not only will we not agree to fund [ICE], but we are here to say that an agency like ICE, which repeatedly and systematically violates human rights, does not deserve a dime,” she continued. “They do not deserve a dime.”

“Until they can prove that they are honoring human rights, until they can make a good-faith effort to expand and embrace immigrants, the immigrants in this nation that have always been a part, and have always been a core element of American democracy, until they can prove good faith to an American ideal they do not deserve any resources for their radical agenda,” Ocasio-Cortez added.

The freshman congresswoman made the remarks alongside fellow Democratic Reps. Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, at a presser organized by progressive organization MoveOn.

RIGHT NOW: @AOC, @ayannapressley, @IlhanMN, & @rashidatlaib join @UNITEDWEDREAM and families impacted by Trump’s racist deportation force to demand that Congress #DefundHate and cut funding for ICE & CBP.

Video from @MoveOn!https://t.co/0NjK3Qm6s7

— Bend the Arc: Jewish Action (@jewishaction) February 7, 2019

Watch above.

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