House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) said Democrats will not back down from demanding “dramatic, bold, and meaningful reforms” to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as the standoff over Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding heads into its second week.
Appearing on CNBC’s Squawk Box with Andrew Ross Sorkin, Jeffries called out ICE for being “out of control” and stated that taxpayer dollars should be directed toward easing the affordability crisis—not funding what he described as unchecked enforcement actions.
Jeffries laid out a series of changes Democrats want to see before agreeing to a funding deal. Among them: requiring judicial warrants before ICE agents enter private property, mandating independent investigations into alleged misconduct, and designating sensitive locations such as schools, hospitals, houses of worship, and polling sites as off-limits for immigration enforcement actions. He also said ICE should prioritize violent felons rather than law-abiding immigrant families or U.S. citizens.
Jeffries framed the dispute not just as an immigration debate but as an accountability issue. He criticized the use of masked agents, stating that ICE should operate under the same transparency standards as other law enforcement agencies. “Police officers don’t wear masks, county sheriffs don’t wear masks, and state troopers don’t wear masks,” Jeffries pointed out, contending there has been no adequate justification for allowing unidentified agents to carry out enforcement operations.
Jeffries Says Immigration Enforcement Should Be ‘Fair, Just, And Humane’
Sorkin pressed Jeffries on whether there is room for compromise, noting that Republicans argue officers face threats, including doxing, and need protective measures—particularly in sanctuary jurisdictions where local cooperation may be limited. The other side of the argument, Sorkin summarized, says Democrats are prioritizing undocumented immigrants over law enforcement personnel.
Jeffries rejected that characterization, likening it to past Republican messaging during the 43-day government shutdown last year in the fall. He said Democrats were similarly accused then of advancing policies to benefit undocumented immigrants.
Jeffries also criticized the administration for labeling Renée Good and Alex Pretti as “domestic terrorists,” despite numerous videos showing that they were needlessly and brutally killed by ICE agents. Immigration enforcement, he said, must be “fair, just, and humane,” asserting that current practices fall short of that standard.
With DHS funding expired and negotiations stalled, Democrats are remaining firm in their efforts to reform and rein in ICE. The exchange between Jeffries and Sorkin, as the DHS shutdown hits day 7, makes it clear that Democrats have drawn a line in the sand.
