Sponsors (5)
The bill reduces taxpayer-funded ICE television advertising to save money and curb perceived agency PR overreach, but that could diminish public outreach and recruitment capacity for ICE and might simply shift costs to other communication methods.
Taxpayers: Reduces DHS spending on television ads promoting ICE, freeing funds for other priorities.
Taxpayers and federal employees: Restricts government public‑relations spending by an enforcement agency, increasing perceived accountability and reducing use of agency resources for non‑operational PR.
Immigrants and the general public: Limits DHS/ICE's television channels for public outreach, which could reduce public awareness of ICE programs and critical public‑safety messages.
ICE and federal law‑enforcement staffing: May reduce ICE's ability to recruit via television, potentially making it harder to fill vacancies and weakening enforcement capacity.
Taxpayers and federal agencies: Savings from cutting TV advertising may be offset if DHS shifts to other, potentially costlier or less transparent communication methods.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Bars DHS from spending any DHS-controlled funds on television ads that promote ICE, recruit ICE staff, or enhance ICE’s image or branding.
Official title: To prohibit the obligation or expenditure by the Department of Homeland Security of funds for television advertisements promoting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and for other purposes.
Introduced February 5, 2026 by Wesley Bell · Last progress February 5, 2026
Prohibits the Department of Homeland Security from using any funds under the Secretary's control to produce, purchase, distribute, or broadcast television advertisements that promote U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), recruit ICE personnel, or enhance ICE’s public image or branding. The restriction applies across all DHS funding the Secretary controls for television advertising activities intended for promotion, recruitment, or image enhancement. The act is narrowly focused: it does not create new programs or appropriate money, it only bars DHS from spending existing funds on television advertising with specified promotional or recruitment purposes regarding ICE.