Washington — Senate Democrats on Wednesday outlined a list of demands to reform immigration enforcement in exchange for voting to fund part of the government, including a “masks off, body cameras on” policy, with just days to avert a partial government shutdown.
“Senate Democrats are united on a set of common-sense and necessary policy goals that we need to rein in ICE and end the violence,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said at a news conference Wednesday.
Congress has passed six of 12 funding measures so far, and with funding set to expire Saturday, the Senate was poised this week to approve the remaining six bills — including a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security — after they were sent over from the House as one package.
But the deadly shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis last weekend, amid the ongoing immigration crackdown in Minnesota, prompted widespread scrutiny among Democrats, who pledged to oppose the funding package as it stands.
Democrats have advocated for stripping the bill funding DHS, which oversees ICE and Customs and Border Protection, from the broader funding package. They argue that the bulk of the package would receive widespread support, while the DHS bill could be renegotiated. But any changes to the package would require the House’s approval. And the lower chamber isn’t set to return to Washington until Monday — after the funding is set to expire.
After a lengthy Democratic lunch meeting Wednesday, Schumer outlined his caucus’ demands, which he said include ending roving patrols — tightening rules governing the use of warrants and requiring ICE coordination with state and local law enforcement. He said Democrats also want to enforce accountability, demanding a uniform code of conduct and accountability to hold federal agents to the same use-of-force policies as state and local law enforcement. Finally, Schumer said Democrats want a “masks off, body cameras on” policy for federal agents.
Schumer said the demands represent policy areas that Democrats believe must be addressed. But he indicated that they’re willing to negotiate with Republicans on a proposal.
“These are common-sense reforms, ones that Americans know and expect from law enforcement,” Schumer said. “If Republicans refuse to support them, they are choosing chaos over order, plain and simple.”
Republicans have stressed that any reforms Democrats are seeking should come through the administration via executive order rather than legislation.
“The administration’s willing to sit down with them and have a discussion, perhaps a negotiation, about how do we move forward,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune said ahead of Schumer’s announcement Wednesday. “But the one thing I do know is that a government shutdown is not in anybody’s interest.”
