Amid widespread protests over federal immigration policy, U.S. Representative Mike Rulli of Ohio has introduced a contentious bill that would reroute existing federal gambling excise taxes to fund U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Known as the “Giving Alien Migrants Back Through Lawful Excise Redistribution (GAMBLER) Act,” the legislation aims to bolster ICE’s operational budget without placing additional financial demands on American taxpayers.

Legislation rooted in protest response:

Rulli’s proposal seeks to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to create a Border Enforcement Trust Fund within the U.S. Treasury. This fund would receive approximately $300 million annually—the same amount currently collected through a 0.25% federal excise tax on legal gambling wagers. Under existing law, that revenue is deposited into the general fund of the U.S. Treasury and allocated by Congress as it sees fit.

The bill surfaces at a time of heightened national tension around immigration enforcement. Rulli cited demonstrations—some of them violent—against recent deportation actions, particularly in Los Angeles, as evidence of what he described as a breakdown in law and order.

“We’ve all witnessed the blatant disregard for law and order in Los Angeles — and frankly, enough is enough,” Rulli said. “Working-class Americans are paying the price while blue states and sanctuary cities harbor millions of illegal aliens who wave foreign flags in our streets, vandalize property and drain resources meant for our own citizens.”

Rulli, a Republican representing Mahoning and Columbiana counties, further emphasized, “ICE needs every resource available to secure our laws,” arguing the bill achieves this goal “without asking for one more penny from American families.”

While the legislation has gained support among some conservative factions who favor a stronger immigration stance, it has also attracted significant criticism. Demonstrators have taken to protesting outside Rulli family businesses, including a grocery store in Austintown, accusing him of favoring elite interests over local constituents. One protester group claimed, “His actions do not reflect the will of the people. They reflect the agenda of the wealthy elite.”

The GAMBLER Act also sparked criticism due to Rulli’s perceived lack of engagement with constituents. Activists have called out his refusal to hold public town halls, with recent demonstrations occurring outside his district office in Canfield and during a fundraiser in Boardman. In April, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz visited Youngstown to rally attention to Republican lawmakers, including Rulli, who have avoided open forums. The event reportedly drew around 3,000 participants, which Rulli later dismissed as a “pathetic spectacle.”

Uncertain path forward in the Senate:

Although the measure has cleared an initial hurdle in the House, it faces a steep climb in the Senate. With 53 Republican members, the bill would still need bipartisan support to surpass the 60-vote threshold required to overcome a filibuster. This political reality, coupled with national division over immigration and the politicization of gambling revenue, casts doubt on the bill’s future viability.

Despite the hurdles, Rulli remains adamant that his proposal provides a responsible solution to enforcement funding amid what he views as a national crisis. “Our neighborhoods are being overrun, our laws ignored and our voices silenced by an out-of-touch elite that refuses to act,” he stated, as reported by WMFJ. “In any other country — or any other time in history — this would be called exactly what it is: an invasion. And the American people are done being ignored.”

The bill has become a flashpoint in the ongoing national debate over the role of federal immigration enforcement and the funding mechanisms used to support it. Supporters of the GAMBLER Act praise its budget-neutral approach, while opponents argue it draws a divisive link between gambling revenues and immigration crackdowns.

At the local level, Rulli’s district remains deeply polarized. The Mahoning County jail currently holds around 95 individuals detained by ICE under a $4.5 million federal contract. Meanwhile, Ohio itself is weighing an increase in sports betting tax rates—a separate but parallel development that adds another layer of complexity to the conversation around gaming revenue and public policy priorities.