House Democrats showcased a significant shift in their stance on immigration enforcement, voting overwhelmingly on Thursday to block additional funding for ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), a stark contrast to their position just a year ago when many had supported expanded powers under the Trump administration.

The vote to oppose the Homeland Security spending bill, which included billions for ICE, saw only seven Democrats in favor, all from districts with strong Trump support in previous elections. This includes Representatives Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez of Texas, Jared Golden of Maine, Laura Gillen and Tom Suozzi of New York, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Florida, and Don Davis of North Carolina.

The opposition was fueled by various controversial actions by ICE, including an incident where an agent shot Renee Good in Minneapolis. This incident, among others, has pushed many Democrats, including Rep. Susie Lee (D-Nev.), to demand more accountability. "ICE has blatantly violated our Constitution and our law... I can’t in good conscience give them any more money until we get some type of guardrails," Lee stated.

Even those Democrats who supported the bill criticized ICE's operations. Rep. Gonzalez expressed his dissatisfaction, noting the need to find ways to defund ICE activities while acknowledging the potential repercussions of a no vote which also risked funding for other critical services like the Coast Guard and FEMA.

The bill, which passed the House with a 220 to 207 vote, reflects the growing opposition to Trump's deportation strategies, perceived as overly aggressive by a 49 percent plurality of voters in a recent POLITICO poll.

Despite the bill’s passage, it includes cuts in funding for removal and enforcement operations by $115 million and a reduction in Border Patrol funding by $1.8 billion. It also incorporates some Democratic demands such as decreasing the number of detention beds and providing funds for body cameras and better training for DHS officers.

However, several key Democratic proposals were not included, such as banning agents from wearing masks during operations and requiring judicial warrants, which highlights the ongoing debate and contention surrounding immigration policy and enforcement in the U.S.

While some Democrats expressed concern over the implications for other DHS-funded agencies, the overriding sentiment was a call for reform and more stringent controls over ICE operations, signaling a significant shift in the party's approach to immigration enforcement from just a year ago.

*Erin Doherty and Calen Razor contributed to this report.*