WASHINGTON: A sharp political standoff over immigration enforcement and election rules is intensifying in Washington, with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries warning that aggressive federal actions could undermine civil liberties and democratic norms as the United States heads toward the November elections.
Appearing on CNN’s State of the Union, Jeffries said Democrats will not support funding for the Department of Homeland Security unless Republicans agree to sweeping reforms of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which he said has grown “completely and totally out of control.”
“Not at this point, ” Jeffries said when asked whether Democrats would accept anything short of their full list of demands. “We start with a basic premise that taxpayer dollars should be used to make life more affordable for everyday Americans, not brutalize or kill American citizens like Renee Nicole Good or Alex Pretti.”
Jeffries said immigration enforcement “should be fair, it should be just, and it should be humane, ” arguing that “dramatic changes are necessary to the manner in which the Department of Homeland Security officers are conducting themselves before any funding bill should move forward.”