Amendment on Abortion Funding for Immigration Detainees Added to House Spending Bill

May 17, 2012 — The House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday passed a $39.1 billion Homeland Security spending bill that includes an amendment barring U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from paying for abortion care for detainees, except in cases of rape, incest or when a woman's life is in danger, CQ Today reports.

The amendment, which was approved on a 28-21 vote, would prohibit the use of ICE funding to require anyone to perform or facilitate an abortion. It does not bar ICE officials from taking a woman outside of a detention facility to obtain abortion care.

House Security Subcommittee Chair Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.), who proposed the amendment, said it would codify an existing ICE policy and is identical to language that has been in the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies appropriations bill for two decades.

Democrats said the amendment is a political move that detracts from the purpose of the underlying bill. "It is wrong, it is politically motivated and it really states that this is the only weapon or tool you have to create divisiveness" around security issues, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) said, adding that ICE considers the bill duplicative (Gardner, CQ Today, 5/16).

Planned Parenthood Federation of America President Cecile Richards also spoke out against the amendment, saying, "Abortion has no business being debated as part of a Homeland Security funding bill." She added, "For months we've seen opponents of women's health focus more on limiting women's access to health services than on expanding jobs, growing the economy and now, protecting U.S. national security" (McCarthy, National Journal, 5/16).