Arkansas Senate hopeful Hallie Shoffner denies past calls to defund ICE

Hallie Shoffner, the Democratic Senate candidate in Arkansas, has been pressed to clarify remarks made in June that were reported as a pledge to vote to defund ICE. She now tells reporters she never intended to eliminate the agency and has used Tom Cotton’s Facebook post to stress that she seeks reform instead. In a recent interview she answered “No” when asked if she had advocated defunding ICE, emphasizing broader immigration reform.

During a July town-hall she again said she would not cut funding for any law-enforcement entity, including ICE, while calling for a more efficient immigration system and secure borders. Campaign manager Anna-Lee Pittman dismissed accusations of inconsistency, arguing that calling for accountability does not equate to defunding. The controversy emerges as Shoffner campaigns against Cotton in a heavily Republican state where the race is rated solidly Republican.