Democratic leaders said a White House proposal responding to their demands on immigration enforcement falls far short, calling it “incomplete and insufficient” as they push for tighter limits on President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown and warn that funding for the Department of Homeland Security could lapse.
In a statement issued late Monday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said a counterproposal sent by the White House after the weekend “included neither details nor legislative text” and failed to address “the concerns Americans have about ICE’s lawless conduct.”
The White House has not made its proposal public.
The standoff comes with the clock ticking toward a possible partial government shutdown set to begin Shabbos. Democrats are seeking a range of changes, including a requirement for judicial warrants, clearer identification for DHS officers, revised use-of-force standards, and an end to racial profiling. They argue the measures are needed following the fatal shootings of two protesters by federal agents in Minneapolis last month.
Earlier Monday, Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota voiced optimism about the unusual talks between Democrats and the White House, saying there had been “forward progress.”
Thune said the exchange of proposals between the two sides was encouraging and that “hopefully they can find some common ground here.”
Reaching a deal on immigration enforcement remains difficult, however, as skepticism runs deep among rank-and-file lawmakers in both parties about the prospects for compromise.
Republicans have pushed back on many of the Democratic demands and some have offered counterconditions, including legislation requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote and penalties for cities they argue are not doing enough to combat illegal immigration.
At the same time, many Democrats angered by Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s aggressive tactics have said they will not support additional DHS funding unless enforcement efforts are significantly curtailed.
“Dramatic changes are needed at the Department of Homeland Security before a DHS funding bill moves forward,” Jeffries said earlier Monday. “Period. Full stop.”
Congress is now attempting to renegotiate DHS funding after Trump agreed to a Democratic request to pull it out of a broader spending package that became law last week. That legislation temporarily extended Homeland Security funding at current levels only through Feb. 13, creating a narrow window for negotiations over new limits on ICE and other federal agencies.
Democrats escalated their demands for changes to ICE and other federal law enforcement after ICE-watch activist Alex Pretti was fatally shot during a confrontation with U.S. Border Patrol officers in Minneapolis on Jan. 24. Some Republicans also suggested at the time that new restrictions might be warranted. Renee Good was shot by an ICE agent on Jan. 7.
Although Trump agreed to separate the DHS funding, he has not publicly addressed the Democrats’ specific requests.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said late last week that the Trump administration is open to discussing some of the items on the Democratic list, but said “others don’t seem like they are grounded in any common sense, and they are nonstarters for this administration.”
Schumer and Jeffries have called for immigration officers to remove masks, display identification, and better coordinate with local authorities. They are also pressing for tougher use-of-force rules, stronger legal protections at detention centers, and a ban on using body-worn cameras to track protesters.
Among their additional demands, Democrats want Congress to halt indiscriminate arrests, “improve warrant procedures and standards,” make clear that officers cannot enter private property without a judicial warrant, and require verification that a detainee is not a U.S. citizen before detention.
Republicans have said they support requiring DHS officers to wear body cameras — language that appeared in the original DHS funding bill — but have resisted many of the other proposals.
“Taking the masks off ICE officers and agents, the reason we can’t do that is that it would subject them to great harm, their families at great risk because people are doxing them and targeting them,” House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana said Monday. “We’ve got to talk about things that are reasonable and achievable.”
Sen. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee said Sunday that Democrats are “trying to motivate a radical left base.”
“The left has gone completely overboard, and they’re threatening the safety and security of our agents so they cannot do their job,” Hagerty said.
Beyond ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Homeland Security funding bill also covers agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Transportation Security Administration. Thune warned last week that if DHS shuts down, “there’s a very good chance we could see more travel problems” similar to those during last year’s 43-day government shutdown.
Lawmakers in both parties have floated the idea of separating funding for ICE and Border Patrol and passing the remainder by Friday. Thune has shown little enthusiasm for that approach, instead favoring another short-term extension for all of DHS while talks continue.
“If there’s additional time that’s needed, then hopefully Democrats would be amenable to another extension,” Thune said.
Many Democrats are unlikely to support another temporary extension, though Republicans could still muster enough Democratic votes if lawmakers believe negotiations are making progress.
“The ball is in the Republicans’ court,” Jeffries said Monday.
{Matzav.com}
