Republicans rejected the Democrats’ proposal as ‘a ridiculous Christmas list’ of demands.
2/5/2026|Updated: 2/5/2026
WASHINGTON—Congressional Democrats have outlined 10 conditions that they say must be met before they will support a full-year funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), focusing largely on new restrictions for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Some of these requirements include requiring immigration agents to wear body cameras, be maskless, and carry identification.
The demands and scrutiny come in the aftermath of the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were shot by federal agents during protests of immigration operations in Minneapolis.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) detailed the demands in a post on X on Feb. 4.
“Americans have watched in horror as ICE has terrorized communities across the country,” Schumer wrote. “Federal agents can’t continue to cause chaos in our cities while more Americans are killed.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration is willing to negotiate with Democrats but that some of the demands are “non-starters.”
She said President Donald Trump wants to fund the government, including the DHS, as it includes agencies such as FEMA, not just ICE and Border Patrol. She said he wants them to be paid.
Leavitt went on to say that the president “is never going to waver in his commitment to allow immigration enforcement efforts in this country and to support ICE and Border Patrol and the deportation of illegal alien criminals.”
At the top of the demands list is a requirement for “targeted enforcement.”
The proposal would mandate judicial warrants for entry onto private property, end indiscriminate arrests, improve warrant standards, and require agents to verify that a person is not a U.S. citizen before holding them in immigration detention.
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) told reporters that the warrant demand goes too far.
Democrats also want ICE and other immigration agents to be prohibited from wearing masks during enforcement actions.
Another demand would require agents to clearly identify themselves.
Officers would be required to display their agency affiliation, last name, and a unique identification number and to verbally provide their name and ID number upon request.
The proposal would further bar immigration enforcement at “sensitive locations,” including churches, schools, child-care facilities, courts, medical facilities, and polling places.
Republicans have rejected the proposal.
“Democrats’ newest proposal is a ridiculous Christmas list of demands for the press,” Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) wrote on X. “This is NOT negotiating in good faith and NOT what the American people want.”
While the Senate is in negotiations on a full-year DHS funding bill, Republicans in the House want the SAVE Act—which would require identification to vote in federal elections—to be attached to that legislation.
Schumer has said that the SAVE Act is “dead on arrival in the Senate.”
Congress passed a two-week extension of DHS funding, which expires on Feb. 13.
Democrats opposed a full-year DHS funding bill following the deaths of Good and Pretti.
Democrats are also calling for a prohibition on stops, questioning, or searches based on a person’s presence in certain locations, occupation, language or accent, race, or ethnicity.
Additional provisions would establish a formal use-of-force policy, expand training requirements, and require officer certification.
Agents involved in use-of-force incidents would be removed from the field while investigations are conducted.
The seventh demand would preserve the authority of state and local governments to investigate and prosecute potential crimes or excessive force incidents involving federal agents.
It would require evidence to be preserved and shared and mandate state or local consent before large-scale immigration operations outside targeted enforcement.
Lawmakers expressed skepticism about reaching a deal before the deadline.
Britt, one of the lead negotiators, told reporters that discussions would “need a little bit more time” to “figure out a pathway forward.”
She also said that Democrats “have not engaged in any way” outside of social media and the press.
The Trump administration has generally defended ICE agents.
More recently, Trump said immigration agents would act differently while accomplishing their mission to round up illegal immigrants.
“I learned that maybe we could use a little bit of a softer touch,” he told NBC News. “But you still have to be tough.”
Trump said that the operations are “focused on criminals, really bad criminals.”
Another condition from the Democrats would require all detention facilities to meet uniform standards, including immediate access to legal counsel.
States would be authorized to sue the DHS for violations, and Congress would be guaranteed access to ICE facilities regardless of how they are funded.
Democrats also want agents to wear body cameras during interactions with the public and to prohibit the tracking or maintaining of databases related to individuals engaged in First Amendment-protected activities.
The final demand would regulate and standardize DHS uniforms and equipment during enforcement operations to align them more closely with civil law enforcement practices.
Nathan Worcester and Joseph Lord contributed to this report.
