As the threat of a partial government shutdown looms over Washington, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) made it clear that Democrats are not backing down from their demand for meaningful reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
During a press conference, Jeffries sharply criticized the Trump administration and congressional Republicans, stating that their policies have failed the American people across the board—from the economy to health care to immigration enforcement.
Jeffries opened his remarks with a blunt rebuke of the administration, declaring that “extreme MAGA Republicans led by Donald Trump” have failed the country on multiple fronts. He stated that ICE, in particular, has become “completely and totally out of control,” pointing to incidents across the country involving “masked and untrained” agents conducting aggressive operations in American communities. According to Jeffries, taxpayer dollars should be used to make life more affordable for Americans—not to “brutalize or kill them,” referencing the recent murders of Renée Good and Alex Pretti.
He emphasized that House Democrats remain focused on lowering costs, fixing the health care system, and restoring accountability to immigration enforcement. The current approach under Trump and congressional Republicans, Jeffries noted, is inconsistent with American values—and voters are beginning to notice, as Republicans continue to lose in elections across the country.
Jeffries: ‘We Need To Get ICE Under Control’
When asked by a reporter whether House Democrats might support a Senate deal that includes limited ICE funding reforms, Jeffries drew a hard line. Funding for ICE and the Department of Homeland Security, he said, should not move forward without “dramatic changes that are bold, meaningful, and transformational.” He described that stance as the unified position of both the House and Senate Democratic caucuses—“period, full stop.” Any legislation that fails to meet that standard, he predicted, would likely collapse in the Senate.
Pressed by another reporter about the White House’s latest offer, Jeffries said he was still reviewing the proposal but gave a preliminary assessment that it falls short of the changes Democrats are demanding.
Jeffries called out the Trump administration for lying about focusing immigration enforcement on violent felons, instead choosing to carry out operations that target law-abiding families and, in some cases, American citizens.
He also singled out the administration’s push for “absolute immunity” for federal agents accused of wrongdoing. That position, he said, runs counter to the fundamental American principle that no one is above the law. Without independent investigations and potential prosecutions when agents violate the law, Jeffries warned, the current approach effectively encourages misconduct.
As shutdown tensions escalate, Jeffries’ message was unmistakable: Democrats will not support continued funding for ICE unless sweeping reforms are included. For Democratic lawmakers and many Americans across the country, ICE has become a “rogue” agency that is harming American communities. Until that changes, Democrats are prepared to hold the line.
