Washington — Updated Feb. 4, 2026 / CBS News
Democratic leaders on Wednesday laid out a set of conditions for funding the Department of Homeland Security beyond next week, reiterating a package of policy changes aimed at curbing aggressive immigration enforcement practices under the Trump administration — measures some Republicans have already rejected.
“Taxpayer dollars should be used to make life more affordable for everyday Americans, not to brutalize or kill them,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said at a Capitol news conference. He accused Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of being “completely and totally out of control” and said immigration enforcement must be “just, fair and humane.”
Joined by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other top Democrats, Jeffries said sweeping reforms are needed at DHS, which oversees ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The House approved a government funding package Tuesday that funds most agencies through September but extends DHS funding only through Feb. 13, leaving lawmakers to either negotiate a long-term DHS deal or approve another short-term stopgap.
Schumer and Jeffries released a list of “guardrails” they want attached to any DHS funding. Proposed restrictions include banning agents from wearing masks during operations, requiring body-worn cameras and visible identification, and standardizing uniforms to avoid a “paramilitary” look. They also want prohibitions on officers entering private property without a judicial warrant; conducting operations near sensitive locations such as schools and churches; detaining people before confirming they are not U.S. citizens; and targeting stops or searches based on race, language, accent or occupation.
Democrats are pushing for a “reasonable use of force” standard, authority for state law enforcement to investigate allegations of federal excessive force, and the need for state and local approval before DHS launches “large-scale operations.” They also seek protections to ensure attorneys and members of Congress can access immigration detention facilities.
“These are just some of the common-sense proposals that the American people clearly would like to see in terms of the dramatic changes that are needed at the Department of Homeland Security before there’s a full-year appropriations bill,” Jeffries said. Schumer said House and Senate Democrats are “on the same page” and expected to introduce legislation spelling out the demands within 24 hours. “We’re united with the American people, we’re united as House and Senate Democrats,” he added. “We’re going to have tough, strong legislation… And then we want our Republican colleagues to finally get serious about this.”
Some GOP lawmakers have signaled a willingness to consider parts of the Democrats’ platform — for example, body cameras and ending roving patrols — while rejecting other elements. Senate Majority Leader John Thune cautioned that negotiating and passing a bipartisan deal before the Feb. 13 deadline would be an “impossibility.”
Democratic leaders have indicated they may oppose another short-term DHS extension, making a partial funding lapse more likely. Even if DHS funding lapses, ICE and CBP would continue many operations because they received additional appropriations in last year’s omnibus spending bill.
Lawmakers now face a narrowing window to reconcile competing demands and either reach a comprehensive DHS funding agreement or accept another brief extension to keep those components of government operating.