Rep. Darin LaHood wants the war in Iran to wind down, doesn't think ICE in airports is 'the right approach'

Rep. Darin LaHood urged the Trump administration to find an exit ramp to the war in Iran and said he will not commit to approving an additional $200 billion for the conflict, noting that nothing has been presented to Congress and expressing skepticism.

He cited growing fuel and fertilizer costs as Iran blocks the Strait of Hormuz, threatening global supply chains, and said winding down the conflict is the approach he favors, adding that constituents do not support boots on the ground action.

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He argued that weakening Iran is worthwhile and that Iran has never been weaker than they are now, while acknowledging the President has sent mixed messages about whether to wind down or ramp up the war with Israel.

LaHood also stated that removing the Iranian regime would be a good thing for the world and the country, but warned that the longer the operation lasts, the greater the ripple effects and ramification, hence advocating a winding down phase.

Partial DHS shutdown and ICE plan: President Trump has announced plans to station ICE agents in airports to ease long lines and understaffed checkpoints, while TSA agents have increasingly called off work as a DHS funding lapse stretches into its second month.

LaHood has voted three times to fund DHS in its entirety and says funding should have been provided 36 days ago, calling the delay ridiculous.

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Democrats have called for ICE reforms even as they agree to fund DHS, which includes TSA, the Coast Guard, disaster funding, and border control.

LaHood says that having ICE at airports might relieve some airport burden, but the priority is funding TSA, and he reiterates reservations about certain enforcement tactics used in Minneapolis and Chicago while noting that President has suggested ICE might target undocumented immigrants at airports.

He adds that the best approach remains funding TSA and that he is not convinced that bringing ICE to airports is the right security approach for airports.

LaHood toured Bloomington Monday to deliver grant money to ramp up technology used in real time data collection for police investigations, including the use of artificial intelligence with license plate reading cameras.

State lawmakers have conflicting views on building data centers in Central Illinois, which can drain power grids and tax the environment.

LaHood supports measures which keep the United States competitive against China, including incentives to stimulate growth in the private sector, and says that the country needs to win on AI and quantum computing as the future for the nation.

He notes that nine of the 10 tech companies in the world are in the United States because the private sector has flourished.

He says there are roughly 35 pieces of legislation in Congress that would regulate AI and argues that AI has much promise but also peril, so regulation should be smart and balanced while keeping focus on winning the strategic competition against China.

LaHood backs the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to vote and has voted to advance similar legislation, while President Trump has said he will not sign any bill until the SAVE Act passes.

He argues that requiring an ID to vote is fundamental to protecting democracy and ensuring public confidence, noting that an ID is already required to buy a six pack of beer, to rent a car, or to get on an airplane.

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He acknowledges the bill’s citizenship proofs would not be satisfied by driver licenses, state identification cards, or military IDs alone and mentions concerns that such requirements could suppress certain groups, such as married women whose last names do not match the name on their birth certificate.

He says he would consider compromises, such as allowing other forms of ID like a Social Security card, but insists the underlying goal is to ensure voters have full confidence in the system and that the SAVE Act achieves that.