Rep. Maxine Dexter calls ICE enforcement ‘terrorism’ at town hall

Rep. Maxine Dexter, D-Ore., compared U.S. enforcement of immigration law to “terrorism” during a town hall meeting Saturday and vowed to dismantle the head unit of the U.S. immigration enforcement agency if Democrats regain power.

“Obviously terrorism is being used, and I think when we speak out and stand together, people will continue to not want to do this,” Dexter said. he told an audience at Wy’east Middle School in Oregon.

“I’m not supposed to be political, but if there is a change in political will, then we can completely dismantle and completely eliminate ICE,” Dexter said, referring to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Dexter, a freshman progressive lawmaker, is one of many Democrats calling for reform of the agency in the wake of civil unrest in Minnesota over President Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigrants.

When two civilians were shot and killed in separate encounters with immigration officials in Minneapolis in January, Dexter was among the first lawmakers to pledge to vote against any Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spending bill that did not include major reforms to ICE, which operates under DHS.

Although a majority of Democrats eventually adopted Dexter’s stance on DHS funding, the idea began as a position first adopted by the Congressional Progressive Caucus and Reps. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., Maxwell Frost, D-Fla. and was supported by members including Ilhan Omar, D-Minn.

Democratic U.S. Congresswoman Maxine Dexter speaks at a press conference on April 21, 2025. (Marvin Recinos/AFP via Getty Images)

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The impasse over DHS funding led to a partial government shutdown that began Feb. 14, when Senate Democrats refused to support DHS funding for a set of 10 reforms to ICE.

Among those demands, Democrats want to impose new operational limits on the agency, such as an end to roving patrols, a mask ban, a visible ID requirement and stricter warrant requirements for detaining illegal aliens in public.

Protesters using whistles to warn neighborhoods of ICE activity confront Minneapolis police officers in Minneapolis, Minn., on Jan. 24, 2026. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images)

These changes would represent the most direct intervention into the agency’s operations since its founding in 2003.

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Republicans rejected those demands, arguing they would severely limit the administration’s immigration goals.

Dexter’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday on the nature of his comments, including whether he made a campaign promise at the town hall or who was financing the event.

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