Hakeem Jeffries Demands Major Overhaul at DHS
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries likened the challenge of succeeding Nancy Pelosi to stepping into Michael Jordan's shoes.
In light of the tragic deaths of Renee Macklin Good and Alex Pretti, Jeffries is pressing Republicans to take action against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). "ICE is completely and totally out of control and it needs to be reined in, which is why we need dramatic reform at the Department of Homeland Security," he stated during an interview on Morning Edition.
On Wednesday, Jeffries, alongside Senate Minority Leader Chuck E. Schumer, reached out to GOP leaders, House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, advocating for reforms within ICE. Their correspondence outlined several proposed measures aimed at enhancing accountability for federal agents, including a ban on masks and a mandate for immigration enforcement officers to wear body cameras during interactions with the public.
While some Republicans have expressed willingness to consider certain reforms, such as the body camera requirement, there is resistance regarding the prohibition of masks. The overall proposal has not been entirely dismissed by GOP members, but time is limited for negotiations on these critical issues.
Jeffries elaborated on the Democratic initiative to reform ICE in a conversation with NPR's Steve Inskeep.
For a deeper understanding of this pressing issue, click the play button in the blue box above to listen to the full discussion.
