Top Democrats are calling for ICE reforms to warrant passage of the DHS funding bill
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Democratic leaders in Congress shared a list of 10 demands for reform of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Wednesday, insisting that they be added to the bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, DN.Y., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y., laid out the following demands in a letter to Republican leaders, saying ICE has “terrified communities across the country.”
Directed reinforcement
Democrats say DHS officials should not “intrude on private property without a warrant.”
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Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, DN.Y., released a list of 10 demands for the DHS funding bill on Wednesday. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
“End arbitrary detention and improve enforcement procedures and standards. Require verification that a person is not a US citizen before being held in immigration detention,” Jeffries and Schumer wrote.
There are no masks
“Stop ICE and law enforcement from wearing face coverings,” the couple said.
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Requires ID
Schumer and Jeffries said ICE agents should always show their agency, unique ID number and last name during immigration operations. They also have to “say” their ID numbers and name when asked during surgery, the two argue.
The GSA has removed a Minnesota Hampton Inn from all government lodging programs after the hotel refused to accommodate ICE and immigration agents.
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Protect sensitive areas
Jeffries and Schumer argue that federal funding should not be used to conduct immigration operations near “critical sites,” which they describe as “medical facilities, schools, daycare centers, churches, polling places, courthouses” and others.
Stop racial profiling
Top Democrats said DHS officials were “stopping, questioning and searching based on a person’s presence in certain areas, their occupation, language spoken and accent or race and ethnicity.”
They say that should stop, and decisions should be based on prior evidence.
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The Department of Homeland Security announced on February 4 that more than 4,000 immigrants have been arrested in Minnesota under Operation Metro Surge. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Check the use of power standards
Democrats say ICE and US Customs and Border Protection must operate under a stronger force policy, including expanded training and certification of federal agents.
“If an incident occurs, the police officer must be removed from the field until an investigation is carried out,” they continued.
Ensure regional and local coordination and oversight
“It preserves the ability of State and local authorities to investigate and prosecute potential crimes and the use of forceful incidents,” the two wrote. It requires the consent of States and territories to carry out large-scale operations without targeted immigration laws.”
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Build defenses into the system
Schumer and Jeffries demand that federal detention facilities “must comply with the same basic standards that require prompt access to an individual’s attorney to prevent the arrest or detention of citizens.”
“Allow states to sue DHS for violating all requirements. Ban restrictions on member visits to ICE facilities regardless of how those facilities are funded,” they wrote.
A person was arrested by federal agents on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Minneapolis. (Ryan Murphy/AP)
Body cameras for accountability, not tracking
Democrats argue that federal agents should wear body cameras when interacting with the public.
They also say that state police should “prohibit the tracking, creation or storage of information on individuals engaged in First Amendment activities.”
There are no military police
“Regulate and standardize the type of uniforms and equipment carried by DHS officers during law enforcement to comply with the law,” Schumer and Jeffries wrote.
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Hakeem Jeffries upped the ante against Kristi Noem at a press conference Thursday, saying the DHS Secretary should be “put on ice forever.” (Getty Images)
“Additionally, there are steps the Trump administration can take right now to show good faith, including completely ending the operation in Minnesota and removing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem from her position,” the pair wrote.
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“These are reasonable solutions that protect constitutional rights and ensure compliance with the law,” they said.
White House chief of staff Tom Homan has already announced the layoff of 700 federal employees from the Twin Cities on Wednesday. Noem also ordered federal agents in Minnesota to start wearing body cameras.
