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By Gabe Whisnant
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With a partial government shutdown looming at the end of the week, Senate Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has laid out a list of demands aimed at overhauling immigration enforcement practices at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including an enforceable code of conduct for federal agents, mandatory identification during arrests and expanded use of body cameras.
Democrats say they will withhold the votes Republicans need to keep the government open unless the Trump administration agrees to major changes at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and related agencies. The standoff comes amid widespread outrage over the fatal shootings of two people by federal agents in Minneapolis this month.
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List of Democrats' Demands for Federal Agents
Under the proposals Schumer outlined, federal agents would be required to coordinate immigration arrests with local law enforcement, end so-called roving patrols in cities, wear visible identification, keep body cameras activated and follow a clear, enforceable code of conduct that allows for accountability when rules are violated.
“Masks off, body cameras on,” Schumer said, adding that agents should identify themselves to the public, as is standard practice in law enforcement.
Democrats Unite Ahead of Crucial Vote
Democratic senators met privately Wednesday ahead of a key procedural vote Thursday on whether to advance legislation funding DHS and several other federal agencies. Government funding is poised to expire at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, and Republicans will need Democratic support to avoid a shutdown.
Schumer said Democrats are unified behind what he described as “commonsense reforms” and placed the burden on Republicans and the White House to act.
“This is not law and order,” Schumer said of the administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement surge. “This is chaos.”
Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, top Democrat on the homeland security spending subcommittee, said the proposals reflect concerns shared across the party and beyond.
“None of this is revolutionary,” Murphy said. “None of this requires a new comprehensive piece of legislation.”
Both Murphy and Schumer said the changes should be enacted through Congress, not simply pledged by the administration.
GOP Signals Resistance, Urges White House Talks
Republicans have signaled skepticism, warning that reopening negotiations could derail funding legislation passed by the House last week.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, said he was waiting for Democrats to clearly outline their demands and suggested discussions should be directed at the White House.
Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas cautioned against tying policy debates to government funding. “We can have conversations about what additional oversight is required, what additional laws we should consider,” Cornyn said. “But not at the expense of shutting down the government.”
As of Wednesday, it was unclear how engaged the White House was in negotiations or whether it would accept any of the Democrats’ conditions.
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Legislative Roadblocks Complicate Deal
Even if an agreement could be reached in the Senate, significant procedural hurdles remain. The House passed the remaining six appropriations bills as a single package, making it difficult to isolate DHS funding without unanimous consent from all 100 senators or a lengthy series of votes that would likely stretch beyond the Saturday deadline.
House Republicans have shown little appetite for revisiting the package. In a letter sent to President Donald Trump this week, members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus pledged their support for the administration’s immigration enforcement efforts.
“The package will not come back through the House without funding for the Department of Homeland Security,” the group wrote.
Republican leaders had hoped to avoid another shutdown following the fall’s 43-day closure, which stemmed from Democratic demands to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies.
Representative Chip Roy of Texas wrote on X, "I have my own list if DHS is opened back up. Beginning with no sanctuary city funding……."
Fatal Shootings Intensify Pressure
Democrats say the urgency of the moment has been heightened by the recent deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, both fatally shot by federal agents in Minneapolis. The killings have fueled protests, lawsuits and bipartisan calls for greater transparency and accountability in immigration enforcement.
“It is truly a moral moment,” said Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat. “I think we need to take a stand.”
With no clear path to compromise and time running out, lawmakers in both parties acknowledged that a partial shutdown beginning Saturday appeared increasingly likely unless one side yields.
For now, Democrats say they are prepared to hold firm, betting that public outrage over immigration enforcement tactics will force concessions from Republicans and the Trump administration.
Democrat Tina Smith of Minnesota told the Meidas Touch Network, "If we have a week-long CR [Continuing Resolution] and break Homeland Security off to negotiate an agreement on what guardrails we can put around the lawless behavior of ICE, that makes sense to me."
This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.
Updates: 1/28/26, 6:13 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
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