Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said Tuesday that the “clock is ticking” for Republicans to negotiate seriously with Democrats on reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement as the deadline for funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) looms.
At a press briefing with Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Tim Kaine (D-VA), Schumer said Democratic leaders had sent the White House detailed legislative text over the weekend outlining what he called “common-sense guardrails” on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). According to Schumer, the offer they received in response lacked both specifics and legislative language, leaving Democrats unconvinced that Republicans are meaningfully addressing public concerns about the agency’s “lawless conduct.”
“We need to see more from the Republicans, and soon,” Schumer stated. “There’s no time to waste.”
Schumer emphasized that Democrats are pushing for reforms that would hold ICE to the same standards as local police departments. Those proposals include ending “roving patrols” and “secret police,” implementing a formal code of conduct, and ensuring that the rules apply to all ICE operations regardless of the source of funding.
“It would be ridiculous to say some ICE agents have to meet certain standards while others don’t because of where the funding came from,” he said.
While stressing that Democrats “proudly support law enforcement,” Schumer pointed out that current ICE practices amount to “chaos, plain and simple,” rather than law and order.
Schumer: ‘Little Meaningful Change Has Happened Throughout The Country’
Schumer pointed to testimony earlier in the day from the heads of ICE, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which came after the killings of Alex Pretti and Renée Good. Schumer said the head of ICE, Todd Lyons, refused to answer whether the victims “deserved to die” and declined to commit to requiring agents to be identifiable.
“When asked if he would commit to unmasking ICE agents so they can be identified, he had a simple answer: no,” Schumer said, adding that most Americans would be “aghast” at the idea of unidentified officers operating in their communities.
He further noted that, despite announcements about body cameras, nearly 80 percent of agents are still not wearing them. “That’s pathetic,” Schumer harshly stated.
Schumer said the testimony underscored that “little meaningful change” has occurred despite the administration’s rhetoric about lowering tensions. He stated that thousands of these lawless agents remain on the streets and that people are still being assaulted by federal law enforcement. “It’s only a matter of time before someone else gets seriously hurt or worse,” Schumer warned.
“The only real solution is a common-sense, bipartisan resolution,” he stated. “Senate Democrats are ready. We’re still waiting on Republicans to deliver real results.”
