Quick Hit:

House Republicans are seeking to remove two progressive Democrats from their committee assignments following what they describe as aggressive and obstructive behavior at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in New Jersey. 

Key Details:

• Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Greg Casar (D-Texas) allegedly disrupted operations at an ICE facility in New Jersey during a May 7 visit.

• House GOP leaders say the conduct endangered law enforcement officers and broke procedural norms, prompting a resolution to remove both members from their current committee assignments.

• Republicans point to precedent set by Democrats when they removed GOP Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Paul Gosar from committees in 2021 and 2022, respectively.

Diving Deeper:

House Republicans on Tuesday initiated a formal effort to strip Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Greg Casar of their committee roles after an incident earlier this month at an ICE detention center in New Jersey, Axios reported. The GOP is characterizing the incident as a deliberate disruption of federal immigration enforcement, accusing the Democrats of politicizing law enforcement to undermine U.S. immigration law.

During their visit, Ocasio-Cortez and Casar allegedly refused to comply with facility protocols, entered restricted areas without authorization, and verbally confronted ICE personnel. Republicans say the lawmakers' actions escalated tensions, placed ICE employees at risk, and hindered facility operations. According to a letter from House Homeland Security Chair Mark Green (R-Tenn.), “This behavior is unacceptable and sets a dangerous precedent for members of Congress interfering with federal law enforcement."

The resolution to expel the lawmakers from their committee posts, introduced by Rep. Mike Collins (R-Ga.), is not only a disciplinary measure but also a strategic political response. “Democrats set the rules last Congress,” Collins told Axios. “We’re just playing by them.” The GOP move echoes the Democratic-led removals of Greene and Gosar, which at the time were justified by Democrats citing inflammatory rhetoric and social media activity. Republicans are now flipping the script, using the same mechanism to penalize behavior they deem threatening to law and order.

While it remains uncertain whether the resolution has enough support to pass the House, it sends a clear message about the GOP’s intent to push back against what they see as left-wing lawmakers’ anti-enforcement posturing. The controversy is also drawing attention to the broader debate on congressional decorum and the appropriate role of members in federal oversight, particularly when it intersects with national security.

The incident comes amid growing conservative frustration with progressive Democrats' approach to border security and ICE policy. Many Republicans argue that the left’s activism often veers into obstruction, undermining agents who are simply enforcing existing laws. Speaker Mike Johnson has not yet signaled whether he supports bringing the resolution to the floor, but multiple rank-and-file members have expressed their backing.

"Buddy Carter" by Gage Skidmore, licensed by CC BY-SA 2.0.