AOC slams increase in funding for ICE, claims that ‘people are going to die’

Independence Day saw President Donald Trump sign his “Big Beautiful” spending into law during a ceremony at the White House.

Its provisions include a major increase in funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a fact which seems to have New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez feeling crushed. 

AOC: “People are going to die”

According to Newsweek, Ocasio-Cortez raised alarm about the legislation in a post to the left-wing social media platform Bluesky.

“I don’t think anyone is prepared for what they just did [with] ICE. This is not a simple budget increase. It is an explosion – making ICE bigger than the FBI, US Bureau of Prisons, DEA, [and] others combined,” she wrote.

“It is setting up to make what’s happening now look like child’s play. And people are disappearing,” the Democratic lawmaker continued.

Ocasio-Cortez followed up with another post in which she wrote, “People are going to die. Livelihoods gone. All to feed a corrupt kleptocracy.

“I see every day up close how different it is from the first time around. There are no guardrails. A disaster. I’m sorry we have to live through this,” the congresswoman added.

ICE acting director calls funding boost a “for the American people”

However, Newsweek pointed out that the boost in funding was welcomed in a statement posted to X by Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons.

“I speak on behalf of the entire agency when I say that ICE is grateful to President Trump for putting in the hard work necessary to get the Big Beautiful Bill across the finish line – but the real win is for the American people,” Lyons asserted.

“The unprecedented funding for ICE will enable my hard-working officers and agents to continue making America safe again by identifying, arresting and removing criminal aliens from our communities,” he stressed.

The ICE head went on to declare that he is “thrilled to work with [Department of Homeland Security] Secretary Noem, Congress and the president to protect our families, friends and neighbors.”

Conservative activist: ICE is “the 14th largest and best funded military on earth”

Meanwhile, conservative activist Benny Johnson pointed out in a post of his that “Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill getting signed into law officially makes ICE the 14th largest and best funded military on earth.”

Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill getting signed into law officially makes ICE the 14th largest and best funded military on earth.

We’re about to see an American ‘Deportation Machine’ on steroids.

Open Borders officially died today.
The Great Replacement died today.
America is reborn pic.twitter.com/c1oPC59x7D

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) July 3, 2025

“We’re about to see an American ‘Deportation Machine’ on steroids,” Johnson insisted. “Open Borders officially died today. The Great Replacement died today. America is reborn.”

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