(Bloomberg) — The top two congressional Democrats laid out a list of demands to curb the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement posture, an opening bid as lawmakers seek to reach a funding deal for the Department of Homeland Security.
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Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries listed 10 restrictions they want placed on federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement in a letter late Wednesday to House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority leader John Thune.
Those curbs sought include prohibiting Department of Homeland Security officers from entering private property without a judicial warrant, verifying individuals aren’t US citizens before detaining them, requiring agents to wear body cameras and identification badges, and preventing them from covering their faces.
“Federal immigration agents cannot continue to cause chaos in our cities while using taxpayer money that should be used to make life more affordable for working families,” the two Democratic leaders wrote in the letter.
The letter serves as Democrats’ initial offer in a brewing fight with Republicans over funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE and federal border patrol officers. The department’s funding is set to expire on Feb. 13.
Congress approved a spending package for much of the federal government earlier this week, but only granted a short-term extension of DHS funding to buy more time to negotiate over immigration enforcement policies.
The Democrats’ demands also calls for prohibiting federal agents from conducting operations near schools, hospitals, churches, polling places and courts. It would prevent officers from stopping people based on their jobs, language, accent or race. They are recommending expanded training for officers, improved standards for detention facilities and guidelines for state and local authorities to coordinate with federal agents.
The list includes some ideas that some Republican lawmakers have individually endorsed, including body cameras, removing face masks and additional training.
But Republican Senator Katie Britt of Alabama, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee who has been designated by her party to negotiate with the Democrats, dismissed the proposal.
