Senate Democrats are ready to shut down part of the federal government over ICE—and it’s about damn time.
With funding for the Department of Homeland Security and several other agencies set to expire Friday at midnight, Democrats are demanding concrete reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement before they’ll provide the votes Republicans need to pass the spending bill.
The ultimatum comes as the country reels from the fatal shootings of two protesters—Alex Pretti and Renee Good—by federal agents in Minneapolis.
WHAT’S GOING ON: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer laid it out plainly: “The American people support law enforcement, they support border security, they do not support ICE terrorizing our streets and killing American citizens.” Democrats won’t budge until ICE is “reined in and overhauled.”
THE DETAILS: The Democrats’ demands are actually pretty basic stuff that most local police departments already follow: end roving patrols in cities, coordinate with local law enforcement, require proper warrants for arrests, establish an enforceable code of conduct, and make agents take off their masks, wear body cameras, and carry proper identification.
You know, the bare minimum for accountability.
This is a baby step back from the edge of the cliff, but at least it’s something?
“Boil it all down, what we are talking about is that these lawless ICE agents should be following the same rules that your local police department does,” said Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith. “There has to be accountability.”
BUT BUT BUT: Republicans are crying foul about the shutdown threat. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas called it a “political stunt,” while the House Freedom Caucus sent a letter to Trump pledging their support for ICE.
North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis—who actually blamed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for “tarnishing” ICE’s reputation—still opposes requiring agents to show their faces, citing safety concerns for officers’ families.
Of course, Tillis doesn’t seem too worried about the safety of immigrant communities being terrorized by masked federal agents with no accountability.
ZOOM OUT: There are some signs the White House might be willing to negotiate to avoid another shutdown—the government just came off a 43-day closure in December over health care subsidies.
But House Republicans have made clear they won’t accept any changes to the bill they passed, and it’s unclear whether any deal could satisfy Democrats demanding real reforms to Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown.
“It is truly a moral moment,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. “I think we need to take a stand.”
After months of watching ICE agents operate like an occupying force in American cities—masked, unidentified, unaccountable—Democrats finally have some leverage to demand change.
Whether they can hold the line is another question entirely.
Regardless of what happens, Schumer and Jeffries have proven they are not the leadership the Democratic Party needs right now.