PUERTO RICO · IMMIGRATION
Key Facts
- The call On Friday 6 November 2026, three federal lawmakers urged withdrawing funds from ICE, the US immigration agency.
- The place They spoke at an event in Barrio Obrero, San Juan, after recent raids on the island.
- The lawmakers Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández and US House members Nydia Velázquez and Adriano Espaillat.
- The target Raids hit Dominican, Venezuelan and Haitian communities, and drivers’ license data became a flashpoint.
- The next step Hernández hopes the new Congress in January passes limits on ICE at hospitals and schools.
Puerto Rico’s Resident Commissioner and two US House members called on Friday 6 November 2026 for cutting ICE funds after recent raids on the island. ICE, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is the US federal agency that enforces immigration law, including arrests and deportations.
The three lawmakers spoke at an event in San Juan and said ICE cannot be reformed. They described cutting its money as a goal, and the new Congress does not take office until January.
What the Lawmakers Said in San Juan
Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández, Representative Nydia Velázquez and Representative Adriano Espaillat, who chairs the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, appeared together. They discussed raids aimed at Dominican communities and at Venezuelan and Haitian immigrants.
The three agreed that ICE “is not a reformable agency,” as they put it at the event. Their main proposal was to withdraw its funding with a view to eventually eliminating it.
The Governor and the License Data
Espaillat said he feels “betrayed” by Governor Jenniffer González, claiming there were agreements to avoid such raids on the island. He said new raids followed, including in the Santurce district of San Juan.
The lawmakers also raised the handing over of driver’s-license information from Dominican immigrants. Hernández said the government turned over the data and questioned its first claim that it was obliged to do so.
What Congress Could Do in January
Velázquez said measures on how raids are carried out could advance when the new Congress takes office in January. She recalled that she had earlier demanded that federal agents stop wearing masks during operations.
Espaillat backed limits on enforcement at sensitive places such as hospitals, schools and churches, and body cameras for agents. Hernández said he is confident the next Congress will pass legislation to stop ICE actions at hospitals and schools.
Where Hernández Stood Before
In a statement on Monday 26 October 2026, Hernández said immigration laws can be enforced without violence and with respect for human rights. He said he has demanded answers from federal authorities on ICE operations in Puerto Rico since January 2025.
He listed bills he backs, including the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act and the No Secret Police Act, which would require agents to identify themselves. In June 2026 he opposed a Republican budget adding US$70 billion for ICE and Customs and Border Protection.
In Plain English, Who Is Who
The Resident Commissioner is Puerto Rico’s elected representative in the US House of Representatives. Pablo José Hernández holds that post.
Nydia Velázquez and Adriano Espaillat are members of the US House. Espaillat chairs the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, a group of Latino lawmakers.
What It Means for You
Puerto Rico is a US territory, and its residents are US citizens, but many immigrants on the island are not. Federal immigration raids there are part of the same national debate over ICE.
The budget argument sits in Congress, where ICE money is set. Our earlier report covers how Puerto Rico leaders condemned ICE operations in San Juan.
What Is Not Known
It is not known whether any bill will be filed to cut ICE funds. The new Congress takes office in January, and the three lawmakers can say what they will introduce.
It is also not known how Governor Jenniffer González will respond to the claims about license data and the raids. Her office can answer.
More: Latin America news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the lawmakers ask for?
They proposed withdrawing funds from ICE with a view to eventually eliminating the agency. They said ICE “is not a reformable agency.”
Who is Pablo José Hernández?
He is Puerto Rico’s Resident Commissioner, the island’s elected representative in the US House. He spoke with Nydia Velázquez and Adriano Espaillat in San Juan.
Are the raids hitting one group?
The lawmakers discussed raids aimed at Dominican communities and at Venezuelan and Haitian immigrants. Espaillat said new raids included Santurce.
When could Congress act?
Velázquez said measures on how raids are carried out could advance when the new Congress takes office in January. Hernández is confident it will pass limits on ICE actions at hospitals and schools.
Sources: Office of Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández, statement on ICE raids in Puerto Rico, 26 October 2026; Statements by Pablo José Hernández, Nydia Velázquez and Adriano Espaillat at a San Juan event, 6 November 2026.
Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief · Editorial standards · Report an error