Congress: ICE Deal Still Possible      02/11 06:19

   Congressional leaders said Tuesday that a deal was still possible with the 
White House on Homeland Security Department funding before it expires this 
weekend. But the two sides were still far apart as Democrats demanded new 
restrictions on President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown.

   WASHINGTON (AP) -- Congressional leaders said Tuesday that a deal was still 
possible with the White House on Homeland Security Department funding before it 
expires this weekend. But the two sides were still far apart as Democrats 
demanded new restrictions on President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown.

   After federal agents fatally shot two protesters in Minneapolis last month, 
Democrats say U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement needs to be 
"dramatically" reined in and are prepared to let Homeland Security shut down if 
their demands aren't met. On Tuesday, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer 
and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said they had rejected a White 
House counteroffer that "included neither details nor legislative text" and 
does not address "the concerns Americans have about ICE's lawless conduct."

   "We simply want ICE to follow the same standards that most law enforcement 
agencies across America already follow," Schumer said Tuesday. "Democrats await 
the next answer from our Republican counterparts."

   The Democrats' rejection of the Republican counteroffer comes as time is 
running short, with a shutdown of the Homeland Security Department threatening 
to begin Saturday. Among the Democrats' demands are a requirement for judicial 
warrants, better identification of DHS officers, new use-of-force standards and 
a stop to racial profiling.

   Finding agreement on the charged, partisan issue of immigration enforcement 
will be exceedingly difficult. But even as lawmakers in both parties were 
skeptical, a White House official said that the administration was having 
constructive talks with both Republicans and Democrats. The official, granted 
anonymity to speak about ongoing deliberations, stressed that Trump wanted the 
government to remain open and for Homeland Security services to be funded.

   Senate leaders also expressed some optimism.

   "There's no reason we can't do this" by the end of the week, Senate 
Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said after meeting with his caucus on Tuesday.

   Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said there have been "some really 
productive conversations."

   Democratic demands

   Schumer and Jeffries have said they want immigration officers to remove 
their masks, to show identification and to better coordinate with local 
authorities. They have also demanded a stricter use-of-force policy for the 
federal officers, legal safeguards at detention centers and a prohibition on 
tracking protesters with body-worn cameras.

   Among other asks, Democrats say Congress should end indiscriminate arrests, 
"improve warrant procedures and standards," ensure the law is clear that 
officers cannot enter private property without a judicial warrant and require 
that before a person can be detained, it's verified that the person is not a 
U.S. citizen.

   Democrats made the demands for new restrictions on ICE and other federal law 
enforcement after ICU nurse Alex Pretti was shot and killed by a U.S. Border 
Patrol officer in Minneapolis on Jan. 24, and some Republicans suggested that 
new restrictions were necessary. Renee Good was shot by ICE agents on Jan. 7.

   Many Democrats said they won't vote for another penny of Homeland Security 
funding until enforcement is radically scaled back.

   "Dramatic changes are needed at the Department of Homeland Security before a 
DHS funding bill moves forward," Jeffries said. "Period. Full stop."

   Republican counterproposal

   Jeffries said Tuesday that the White House's offer "walked away from" their 
proposals for better identification of ICE agents, for more judicial warrants 
and for a prohibition on excessive use of force. Republicans also rejected 
their demand for an end to racial or ethnic profiling, Jeffries said.

   "The White House is not serious at this moment in dramatically reforming 
ICE," Jeffries said.

   Republican lawmakers have also pushed back on the requests. Oklahoma Sen. 
Markwayne Mullin, a close ally of Trump, said Tuesday that he's willing to 
discuss more body cameras and better training -- both of which are already in 
the Homeland spending bill -- but that he would reject the Democrats' most 
central demands.

   "They start talking about judicial warrants? No. They start talking about 
demasking them? No, not doing that. They want them to have a photo ID with 
their name on it? Absolutely not," Mullin said.

   Republicans have said ICE agents should be allowed to wear masks because 
they are more frequently targeted than other law enforcement officials.

   "People are doxing them and targeting them," said House Speaker Mike 
Johnson, R-La., on Monday. "We've got to talk about things that are reasonable 
and achievable."

   Some Republicans also have demands of their own, including the addition of 
legislation that would require proof of citizenship before Americans register 
to vote and restrictions on cities that they say do not do enough to crack down 
on illegal immigration.

   At a House hearing on Tuesday, the acting director of ICE, Todd Lyons, said 
his agency is "only getting started" and would not be intimidated as his 
officers carry out Trump's mass deportation agenda.

   Trump deals with Democrats

   Congress is trying to renegotiate the DHS spending bill after Trump agreed 
to a Democratic request that it be separated out from a larger spending measure 
that became law last week and congressional Republicans followed his lead. That 
package extended Homeland Security funding at current levels only through Feb. 
13, creating a brief window for action as the two parties discuss new 
restrictions on ICE and other federal officers.

   But even as he agreed to separate the funding, Trump has not publicly 
responded to the Democrats' specific asks or suggested any areas of potential 
compromise.

   White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said late last week that the 
Trump administration is willing to discuss some items on the Democrats' list, 
but "others don't seem like they are grounded in any common sense, and they are 
nonstarters for this administration."

   Thune said Tuesday that "there are certain red lines that I think both sides 
have, things they are not going to negotiate on, but there are some things they 
are going to negotiate on, and that's where I think the potential deal space is 
here."

   It was, so far, unclear what those issues were.

   "We are very committed to making sure that federal law enforcement officers 
are able to do their jobs and to be safe doing them," Thune said of Republicans.

   Consequences of a shutdown

   In addition to ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the homeland 
security bill includes funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency and 
the Transportation Security Administration, among other agencies. If DHS shuts 
down, Thune said last week, "there's a very good chance we could see more 
travel problems" similar to the 43-day government closure last year.

   Thune has said Republicans will try to pass a two- to four-week extension of 
the Homeland Security funding while negotiations continue.

   Many Democrats are unlikely to vote for another extension. But Republicans 
could potentially win enough votes in both chambers from Democrats if they feel 
hopeful about negotiations.

   "The ball is in the Republicans' court," Jeffries said Monday.