Ammon News - Democratic lawmakers clashed with the head of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement over funding, deaths while in federal custody and information the agency shares with the public while in pursuit of one of President Donald Trump's most high-profile second-term priorities.

Rep. Lauren Underwood of Illinois, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations subcommittee on homeland security, accused the agency May 14 of spending funds it doesn’t have while still falling short of unrealistic deportation goals.

Congress has approved funding for 41,500 detention beds but ICE is detaining 52,000 people, which could lead the agency to running out of money within two months. Underwood called the goal of removing 1 million people per year an “incredibly risky strategy that sets you up for failure.”

“This administration is cashing checks it does not have to reach questionable goals it cannot meet,” Underwood said.

Todd Lyons, ICE’s acting director, denied the agency would run out of funding. Money could potentially be shifted from other agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency or Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Lyons said the agency's goal is to have 60,000 detention beds after the anticipated shift in funding.

“ICE will not run out of money,” Lyons said. USA today