House rejects immediate consideration of comprehensive ICE-related package after heated debate

A motion to suspend the rules and recall House File 5149 for immediate consideration — characterized by supporters as a comprehensive package responding to "Operation Metro Surge" and to protect sensitive spaces from ICE enforcement — failed on the House floor after divided debate.

Representative Sensenura urged urgency, saying the package would "include ICE out of sensitive spaces like schools, childcare centers, court houses, hospitals," create accountability mechanisms for federal agents, and prohibit masked, secret law-enforcement operations. "We must protect our state from lawless, immoral, masked, and armed wing of our federal government," Sensenura said, urging members to take up the Senate-passed package.

Representative Mahmood argued Operation Metro Surge has created a public-health crisis, saying it "has emptied emergency departments, pediatric clinics, primary care offices, and OB-GYN clinics" and that families have delayed care out of fear. Representative Vang recounted constituents' fear after federal agents operated in local communities and urged members to act to restore safety.

Representative Nisga opposed the motion, arguing the bill "misdiagnoses the cause of the problem" and criticized prior state policy choices, saying the measure would create "no-go zones" and place unfair burdens on public employees. After members spoke, the clerk took a roll call. The presiding officer announced the motion did not prevail; the transcript records the roll call as 67 ayes and 63 nays.