Democrats are intensifying their focus on immigration issues, disregarding concerns about potential political repercussions amid a highly polarized climate that impacts the president’s strongest legal battles.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) is leading the charge. He has not only mounted a robust defense of Rep. Ramonica McQuiver (D-N.J.), who faces federal charges after a recent altercation involving US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents outside a New Jersey immigration detention center, but he is also calling for greater transparency regarding the ICE officers involved in the incident.
“All ICE agents who engage in these aggressive actions while trying to conceal their identities from Americans will ultimately fail,” Jeffries remarked to reporters on Capitol Hill.
“This is America,” he continued. “We are not the Soviet Union. We are not behind iron curtains. This isn’t the 1930s. Whatever it takes, however long it takes, we will identify those involved.”
This declaration quickly drew reactions from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and other Republican officials, who accused Democrats of circumventing the law at the expense of long-standing legal principles. This narrative echoing last year’s successful Trump campaign has been used by many GOP critics to claim that Democrats jeopardize the safety of federal law enforcement personnel.
“We take threats against law enforcement very seriously. States that lead the way in immigration enforcement do not allow agents from DHS/ICE and/or local agencies to be targeted,” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) posted on X in response to Jeffries’ comments.
DeSantis added that Florida law enforcement is keeping a watchful eye on the “doxxing” campaign against law enforcement officers and directed agencies to act swiftly.
“I will not tolerate interference with the operations of immigration enforcement!” he exclaimed.
Capitol Hill Republicans are echoing his sentiments. This week, Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) introduced legislation aimed at protecting federal law enforcement from doxxing, with violators facing up to five years in prison.
Despite the backlash, Jeffries doubled down on his stance on Thursday.
Such strategies carry risks.
Trump has built his political brand around the “America First” message, a theme that propelled him to the White House in both 2016 and 2020. While his approval ratings have faltered on nearly every issue, including the economy, recent polls indicate that his immigration stance remains a rare exception, garnering more supporters than detractors.
Nevertheless, Democrats’ vigorous response to Trump’s policies signals that they are not shying away from immigration issues, regardless of the potential pitfalls. The push for greater accountability regarding ICE agents is just one aspect of a larger battle they are preparing for this year.
In recent weeks, Democrats have rallied behind immigrants who faced unjust deportations, including Maryland residents mistakenly sent to El Salvador. They have organized public protests outside immigration detention centers, such as in Newark, where McQuiver was arrested. Prominent Democrats have expressed outrage after DHS agents reportedly entered Rep. Jerold Nadler’s (D-N.Y.) district office and handcuffed staffers under the pretense of “holding” protesters.
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, denounced this situation as “unacceptable.”
“We’ve reached a resolution here, but the actions taken by DHS suggest law enforcement more akin to a Banana Republic or rogue state—first attempting to enter the office without a warrant or consent, and then handcuffing and detaining a young Congressional staff member without cause,” Raskin stated in an email.
“This outrageous behavior reflects a shocking disregard for the law and a remarkable disrespect for people’s homes and our branches of government,” he continued. “DHS has no authority to arrest or intimidate individuals based on vague demands or to disrupt the functions of Congressional offices. We will not stand for such lawlessness.”
Raskin and Nadler are pushing Republicans on the Judiciary Committee, headed by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), to address these unusual cases in upcoming hearings.
The partisan immigration debate has heated up this week following Trump’s announcement of a travel ban affecting 12 countries. The selection of targeted nations—primarily in the Middle East and Africa—did not go unnoticed by Democrats, some of whom accused the president of leveraging official policies to propagate bias.
“Don’t mistake this: Trump’s latest travel ban will not enhance America’s security,” Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.) tweeted.
Similarly, Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) voiced his concerns.
“Trump’s travel ban has always been a betrayal of the principles and values that founded America,” Beyer noted on X.
Source: thehill.com