She also said the U.S. needs to modernize its immigration system, stop illegal border crossings and create a legal pathway for those seeking a life in the U.S.
Modernize the immigration system, stop illegal border crossings, and create a legal pathway for people seeking to live in the U.S.
Occurrences
Immigration and border protection are core responsibilities of our government, but this version of ICE has strayed far beyond that core function. ... For taxpayer dollars to continue, we demand reform, and if Administration leadership like Kristi Noem or Stephen Miller won’t comply, they need to go.
Evidence
"I voted no" on the funding package and said she would not vote to send additional funds to the current version of ICE, which she said is "in dire need of reform" including better recruitment and training standards, body cameras, judge-signed warrants, and use-of-force rules.
Official bill text says it would "limit immigration enforcement actions at sensitive locations" and "clarify the powers of immigration officers at sensitive locations"; Congress.gov shows the bill remained at the introduced stage with latest action on 2025-02-06 referral to committee.
The House Clerk records Roll Call 23 on S. 5, the Laken Riley Act, as passed 263-156 on January 22, 2025; the vote list shows McDonald Rivet, Democratic, Michigan, voting Yea.
Congress.gov shows S. 5 became Public Law No. 119-1 on January 29, 2025, after passing the House 263-156. CRS summary says the bill requires DHS to detain certain non-U.S. nationals arrested for burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting and authorizes state lawsuits over immigration enforcement decisions or failures.
Public Law 119-1 amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to cover an alien who is inadmissible and is charged with, arrested for, convicted of, or admits committing burglary, theft, larceny, shoplifting, assault of a law enforcement officer, or a crime causing death or serious bodily injury; it directs DHS to issue a detainer and take custody.
Congress.gov lists Rep. McDonald Rivet, Kristen [D-MI-8] as a cosponsor of H.R. 1061, the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act, with cosponsorship date 01/22/2026.
Congress.gov identifies H.R. 1061 as an immigration bill sponsored by Rep. Espaillat, with latest action on 02/06/2025: referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. The tracker says the bill has the status Introduced.
GovInfo describes H.R. 1061 as a bill to amend section 287 of the Immigration and Nationality Act to limit immigration enforcement actions at sensitive locations and clarify the powers of immigration officers at sensitive locations.
Congress.gov shows H.R. 4393, the DIGNIDAD (Dignity) Act of 2025, as an immigration bill introduced July 15, 2025 and referred to multiple House committees. The tracker says the bill has the status Introduced, with no passage into law shown.
Assessments
McDonald Rivet is currently serving in federal office, and the cited record shows immigration-related effort during the same term: opposing funding for unreformed ICE and introducing or supporting legislation on sensitive-location enforcement limits. However, the promised outcome is much broader: modernizing the immigration system, stopping illegal border crossings, and creating a legal pathway for people seeking to live in the U.S. The evidence does not show that such a systemwide immigration overhaul or legal pathway has passed or been implemented. Because the term is ongoing, this is not yet a final failure, but it is not delivered.