House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (NY-8) declares Democrats will launch an aggressive agenda once they retake the House, centering their fight on opposing President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. He says the plan will target the administration’s mass deportation machine and redirect billions from ICE to affordable housing, wages and community safety.
Democrats Target Trump Immigration Policies
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Jeffries warned that the immigration system is broken and must be fixed comprehensively and bipartisanly. He pledged to block any funding for the deportation apparatus.
The lawmaker said Democrats would refuse to allocate taxpayer dollars to what he called a violent, inhumane mass deportation machine. He warned that such funding would continue to brutalize immigrant communities.
He argued that the billions earmarked for ICE should instead fund affordable housing and raise wages, noting that current enforcement policies have cost families and communities. Jeffries reiterated that the mass deportation machine does not deserve a single cent because it contradicts American values.
“We’re not going to give a dime to the administration’s violent mass deportation machine,” Jeffries told reporters, citing a November 9 tweet from @OffThePress. The statement underscores Democrats’ resolve to curb deportations.
In October, Jeffries warned that extreme immigration enforcement policies have been inhumane and called for dramatic change. He added that Congress has made clear it will not fund Trump’s deportation machine because it conflicts with core American values.
President Donald Trump dismissed any notion of amnesty, stating his administration maintains a strong deportation policy and that there is no amnesty. He reiterated that his policy remains unchanged.
Jeffries also announced support for an impeachment resolution targeting Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and vowed to block any cooperation with incoming Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, architect of the current deportation policy. He said the move would pressure Republicans to reconsider their stance on immigration.
He said Democrats aim to secure enough Republican votes to force a floor vote on the American Dream and Promise Act, which would grant permanent legal status to Dreamers and TPS recipients. The proposal would create a pathway to citizenship for millions of undocumented residents.
Democrats plan to reallocate the $75 billion allocated to ICE through 2029 to other priorities. The move signals a broader Democratic strategy to reshape immigration enforcement.
His stance reflects a broader Democratic effort to reshape the nation’s immigration framework. He pledged to hold Republicans accountable for any compromise on immigration.
The impeachment resolution targets Hegseth over alleged misconduct. The resolution is expected to intensify partisan battles in the coming months.
