Washington is bracing for a fierce political showdown over immigration enforcement and election rules as midterm tensions simmer. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries issued a stark warning on Sunday, cautioning that aggressive federal actions could erode civil liberties and undermine democratic norms just months before November’s crucial elections.
Appearing on CNN’s ‘State of the Union,’ Jeffries drew a hard line: Democrats will block funding for the Department of Homeland Security until Republicans commit to major reforms in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) practices. ‘This has spiraled completely out of control,’ he declared, emphasizing the need for taxpayer dollars to improve everyday Americans’ lives, not to target citizens like Rani Nicole Good or Alex Pretty with excessive force.
Jeffries insisted that immigration enforcement must be conducted fairly, justly, and humanely. He outlined key Democratic demands, including mandatory body cameras for agents, a ban on masks during operations, judicial warrants before searches of private property, and empowering state and local authorities to independently investigate and prosecute federal violations.
‘No one should dispute that ICE agents need a warrant before storming private property and violently dragging ordinary Americans from their homes,’ Jeffries stated firmly. With just five days until the DHS funding deadline, the risk of a partial government shutdown looms large. Jeffries acknowledged that ICE and Customs and Border Protection already receive substantial funding from last year’s laws but argued that tying reforms to spending bills is the only way to change enforcement behavior.
‘The ball is in the Republicans’ court,’ he said, warning that failure to act would shutter critical agencies like the Coast Guard, FEMA, and TSA. Jeffries also slammed President Trump’s push to nationalize elections and mandate proof of citizenship for voting under the ‘Republicans Save Act.’ States already handle voter ID rules effectively, he countered, accusing Republicans of overt voter suppression.
The Democratic leader didn’t hold back on recent controversies, blasting a Trump-posted video depicting former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama as monkeys—a post later deleted but not apologized for. ‘They owe an apology. It was a disgusting video,’ Jeffries said. He also ridiculed Trump’s bid to rename major transportation hubs after himself in exchange for releasing stalled infrastructure funds, calling it ‘presidential graffiti’ on America.