Scoop: Rahm Emanuel announces plan to divert ICE money to community colleges

Rahm Emanuel is proposing to redirect $7.66 billion—20% of the Trump administration's planned $38.3 billion budget for ICE detention facilities—to community colleges, arguing they are critical for workforce development amid AI disruption. The former Chicago mayor, White House chief of staff, and ambassador to Japan will promote the plan this week on ABC's "The View" and at four college stops in South Carolina, a historically pivotal Democratic primary state. Emanuel's proposal reflects his effort to establish early policy positions ahead of an anticipated 2028 presidential run, building on education initiatives he implemented during his tenure as Chicago mayor. The plan includes expanding access to college credits for high school students, making community college free for strong performers, and requiring local employers to sit on college boards to shape curricula. Democrats have previously pushed for federal community college funding—Biden proposed a $90 billion plan to make it free—but Emanuel's approach specifically ties the investment to economic disruption from artificial intelligence.