AOC Blames ICE Funding for Deaths in Maine, Texas: “You’re Going to See Abuses of Power”

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said this week that the resumption of federal funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, without added oversight, has coincided with an increase in civilian deaths and abuses of power by the agency, contrasting the current period with a prior stretch when ICE funds were frozen.

Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., made the comments in an interview with Pablo Manriquez, a reporter for Meidastouch, after he asked her, “Any reaction to the ICE killings in Maine and Texas?”

“I’m still taking a look at all of the details, but once again, this is not. I said this a couple of weeks ago that I would not be surprised if when ICE funding started up again, that we would start to see more civilian deaths at the hands of ICE. And that’s exactly what has happened,” Ocasio-Cortez said.

She said the infusion of money into the agency without accompanying checks has led directly to the incidents.

“When you open the trenches with all of this money that Republicans have now funneled to ICE without any oversight or anything, you’re going to see abuses of power. And that’s exactly what’s happening,” she said.

Ocasio-Cortez said the frequency of such incidents was lower during a previous freeze on ICE funding.

“Notice that, you know, we didn’t see things like this happening with the same degree of regularity when we froze the ICE funds. And now that they’ve been opened up again, we’re seeing multiple incidents now,” she said.

She concluded the exchange by thanking the reporter.

“So thank you,” Ocasio-Cortez said.

Watch the full interview down below!