Jeffries: No DHS Funding Without Major ICE Reforms — Standoff Could Delay Reopening

This is a transcript of House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries's interview on Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan, aired Feb. 15, 2026. Ed O'Keefe spoke with Jeffries from New York City about the ongoing Department of Homeland Security shutdown, the policy changes Democrats are demanding, congressional briefings on national security, and the 2026 House outlook.

DHS Funding Standoff: What Democrats Want

ED O'KEEFE: You’ve said congressional Democrats will not agree to reopen the Department of Homeland Security without significant policy changes. Can you summarize those demands?

REP. JEFFRIES: Our position is straightforward: taxpayer dollars should help make life more affordable and protect Americans — not enable brutality or death. In light of incidents such as the killings in Minneapolis, ICE needs to be reined in. Before any DHS funding bill moves forward, Democrats are seeking reforms including visible identification for agents, body-worn cameras, the removal of masks during operations, judicial warrants for entering private property, protections for sensitive locations (houses of worship, schools, hospitals and polling places), and an enforcement focus on violent felons rather than law-abiding immigrant families.

Negotiations And Flexibility

Jeffries said Democrats are willing to engage in good-faith negotiations but argued the changes must be "dramatic, bold, meaningful and transformational." He noted some flexibility on body cameras because funds are being allocated for them, but emphasized that warrants, limits on aggressive tactics and independent investigations are central to any agreement.

Jeffries: "Judicial warrants should be required before ICE agents can storm private property or rip everyday Americans out of their homes."

Administration Response And Security Concerns

Republican negotiators and DHS officials have pushed back, citing a sharp rise in reported assaults on ICE officers (a figure discussed during the interview). Jeffries responded that those concerns do not justify masking, aggressive tactics or operations that put nonviolent immigrant families at risk. He also warned that Democrats will press for independent investigations rather than rely on partisan state actors to probe alleged abuses.

National Security Briefings And Iran Contingency Plans

As a member of the Gang of Eight, Jeffries criticized the administration for providing limited information to congressional leaders about contingency planning, including possible sustained operations against Iran. He emphasized Congress's constitutional role — Article I grants the power to declare war — and said lawmakers deserve fuller briefings before military action is pursued.

2026 House Outlook

Jeffries reiterated Democrats' confidence about their chances in the 2026 midterms, noting that the party needs to net at least three seats to regain the House. He pointed to recent Democratic overperformance in several conservative or swing areas — including municipal and state-level flip results — as evidence of momentum, but stopped short of offering a precise seat forecast.

Closing

The interview concluded with Jeffries saying Democrats will continue negotiations but that they will not accept DHS funding without the policy safeguards they argue are necessary to protect civil liberties and public safety.

Full interview transcript edited for clarity and readability.