Republicans in Congress have shot down Democrats’ new list of 10 demands to reform Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after two high-profile fatal shootings involving ICE and Border Patrol in Minnesota.
The demands are part of a deal to keep the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funded past its mid-February deadline. If the parties are unable to come to an agreement, it could result in a partial DHS shutdown.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said the list is “unrealistic and unserious,” according to CBS News. He warned that Republicans would not agree to these demands.
Democratic leaders issued a letter listing the demands. It includes:
Requiring judicial warrants before entering private homes or property.
Banning agents from wearing masks and mandating clearly visible identification.
Restricting enforcement operations near “sensitive locations” like hospitals, schools, churches, and polling places.
Prohibiting profiling based on race, ethnicity, language, accent, job, or neighborhood.
Tightening use‑of‑force standards and suspending agents involved in shootings while investigations are pending.
Requiring greater cooperation with state and local authorities and investigators.
Guaranteeing access to legal counsel and congressional oversight visits in detention facilities.
Mandating body‑worn cameras with limits on how footage can be used.
“Demilitarizing” ICE by standardizing and toning down uniforms, gear, and weapons so routine operations look less like paramilitary raids.
Democrats are demanding change at ICE.
— Katherine Clark (@WhipKClark) February 5, 2026
No more secret police. No more roving patrols.
The American people deserve safety and security. pic.twitter.com/abX4jMWHMK
Thune further stated that “this is not a blank-check situation where Republicans just agree to a list of Democrat demands.”
Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) called it a “far-left wish list” that is “radical and extreme.”
Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL), in a post on X, referred to the list as “a ridiculous Christmas list of demands for the press.”
— Senate Republicans (@SenateGOP) February 6, 2026
There are signs that some Republicans might be amenable to some of the Democrats’ demands, especially when it comes to body cameras. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has already begun rolling out bodycams for ICE and other DHS officers.
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) told The Hill he is “not opposed” to requiring agents to wear bodycams.
Recent polling could give Democrats an edge in negotiating the new DHS spending package. After the shootings in Minneapolis, a YouGov survey found that 52 percent of Americans disapprove of how ICE is conducting its immigration enforcement actions, while only 39 percent approve.
The survey found that 51 percent of respondents said ICE’s tactics are excessive, compared to just 27 percent who say they are about right.