San Jose Rep. Sam Liccardo is jumping straight into the fight over federal immigration money, backing a proposal that would strip tens of billions of dollars from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and send it to local police and sheriffs instead. Liccardo cast the move as a local-first fix for what he describes as bloated ICE funding and strapped city departments that are struggling to recruit, train, and support officers and victims. The effort arrives as Congress battles over Department of Homeland Security spending and high-profile criticism of federal immigration enforcement tactics.
What the bill would do
The PUBLIC SAFETY Act (H.R. 7163) would reroute money that Congress previously set aside for ICE’s expanded operations, shifting roughly $29.85 billion to the COPS Hiring Program and about $45 billion to the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program. According to Rep. Chris Pappas' Office, the cash is intended to hire and train more officers and to expand flexible grants that support training, victim services, and crime prevention. Supporters argue the reallocation would move ICE’s budget closer to its previous levels while giving local departments a major boost.
Liccardo's local pitch
Liccardo, who represents California's 16th District, rolled out his support after voting against a short-term DHS funding extension earlier this month, saying city and county agencies need more help with recruitment, retention, and community outreach. In a statement, he backed shifting “tens of billions” from ICE to local police and said taxpayers should support the work of accountable and professional public safety officers, per Liccardo's Office. He echoed that message in a post on X, framing the bill as a way to steer federal money closer to home.
We are not safer! As someone who lives in your district, I’m genuinely concerned. I’ve never felt less safe—we face real issues like brazened break-ins. I hope you will focus on how your voice can impact community-level safety concerns in Washington. You represent us.
— They call me M. (@CallTheyMeM) February 12, 2026
Where the bill stands
H.R. 7163 was introduced in the House on Jan. 20 and sent to the Appropriations and Judiciary committees for review. According to Congress.gov, the bill is still sitting in committee, and Liccardo formally joined as a cosponsor on Feb. 4. From here, the measure has to survive markup and potential amendments before it can even dream of a floor vote.
Political context and pushback
The proposal arrives as ICE faces intensified scrutiny following enforcement actions and concerns about the agency’s expanded budget and methods. Senate Democrats and advocacy groups have pushed for tighter limits and oversight while they wrangle over DHS funding and the way last year’s package pumped extra resources into immigration enforcement, according to reporting from The Guardian. Critics of the Liccardo-Pappas approach warn that diverting so much money could weaken the federal government’s ability to carry out immigration enforcement across multiple jurisdictions.
What comes next
Supporters say the bill offers a practical way to funnel existing federal dollars into local public safety priorities, while opponents argue it could undercut key federal immigration tools. Rep. Chris Pappas' Office noted that an earlier amendment to the DHS appropriations package was blocked by the Republican majority, a preview of the political headwinds this standalone bill is likely to face in committee and on the House floor. For San Jose residents, Liccardo’s co-sponsorship signals an effort to drag more federal money into local policing and services while the larger immigration funding fight rages in Washington.
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