Democrats plan ICE probes as Homeland Security chief says deportations will continue
Trump named Stephen Miller, architect of many of his strictest immigration policies, as chief of staff, and major bills would need Republican support.
Democrats won majorities in and in the elections and plan to use that power to investigate immigration enforcement and the Department of . Rep. Robert Garcia, poised to lead the House Oversight Committee, named former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and her adviser Corey Lewandowski as people who would face accountability. Rep. Bennie Thompson, the top Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, demanded that the department preserve all documents and prepare to hand them over.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal set a Jan. 4, 2027 deadline for records, or his subcommittee will consider other measures. Changing policy is harder. Major bills would need Republican support and probably Trump's approval, but some changes could pass through the budget process.
After House Homeland Security Committee Democrats posted "clear your calendar" to Markwayne Mullin, who leads the department, he answered " will continue." On Friday, Trump named Stephen Miller, who shaped many of his strictest immigration policies,, as chief of staff, replacing Susie Wiles. Vice President JD Vance said he is open to changing enforcement, for instance by directing more effort at companies that employ unauthorized workers.
According to RedState, Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Texas Democrat who is likely the next chair of the DHS appropriations subcommittee, told Fox News Digital he does not believe in defunding but that serious guardrails are needed on the agency.
- around 69,000people currently held by ICE, per CoreCivic's chief executiveLos Angeles Times
- 2,644 Bedstotal beds in the detention facilities, including Adelanto, that the GEO Group said it soldLos Angeles Times
- more than 10,000midterm voters in a BSP Research poll on immigration policiesLos Angeles Times
Three sides of the story
6 news outlets reported this
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Liberal3 outlets
Democrats' oversight push against ICE and its limits
The Los Angeles Times leads with "Empowered congressional Democrats gear up for battles over immigration and ICE oversight." Its report opens with the "clear your calendar" and "Deportations will continue" exchange with Markwayne Mullin. It quotes Rep. Robert Garcia calling the treatment of people by immigration agents "inhumane" and Sen. Alex Padilla saying Trump is choosing to "double down" by picking Stephen Miller.
It also gives House Majority Leader Steve Scalise's warning that Democrats will "harass the President" and CoreCivic's call for ICE to move quickly. NPR asks in one piece what Democrats can actually accomplish, noting ICE "still has the money." In another, it reports that Democrats plan wider probes of the fatal ICE shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
The New York Times looks at Texas, where it says a Democratic sweep signals "fresh momentum to curb aggressive ICE tactics" and where Democrats plan a reversal of hard-line policies.
Center1 outlet
Outlets on this side gave the story little coverage.
Conservative2 outlets
A Democrat who rejects defunding ICE
RedState's headline says the Democrats' hope to abolish ICE "May Have a Big Stumbling Block" in one of their own. It says many "radical new Democrats" ran on abolishing ICE. It centers on Rep. Henry Cuellar, who it says will likely chair the DHS appropriations subcommittee and so have "a lot to say about funding."
It quotes him telling Fox News Digital, "I don't believe in defunding ICE," though he wants "serious rail guards." It also gives his warning against reviving Biden-era border policies and notes his January vote for a DHS funding bill with billions for ICE. RedState predicts the left will try to push him leftward and says he wants to work with Trump.
An editor's note says ICE and "put themselves in harm's way" to protect the country.
- Conservative outlets did not mentionTrump's Friday appointment of Stephen Miller as chief of staff, and Mullin's "Deportations will continue" reply Reported by Los Angeles Times
- Liberal outlets did not mentionRep. Henry Cuellar's remarks to Fox News Digital rejecting the defunding of ICE Reported by RedState
Which side made the stronger case?
We will email you when the story continues. At most one email a day.
All sources: 10 articles from 6 outlets
Liberal (4)
- Los Angeles Times: Empowered congressional Democrats gear up for battles over immigration and ICE oversight
- NPR: Democrats won big on issues like immigration. But ICE still has the money
- NPR: Democrats plan to widen their probes of fatal ICE shootings
Center (1)
Conservative (5)
- RedState: White House Fires Back at Democrats' 'Lawyer Up' Threat With a Legal Warning of Its Own
- RedState: Dems' Big Dream to Abolish ICE May Have a Big Stumbling Block - It's One of Their Own
- Townhall: Trump Administration Just Made a Huge Threat Against Lawfare-Happy Democrats
- Townhall: Democrats Just Declared War on Trump's Deportation Machine
- Townhall: If Dems Want to Erase Trump's Tariff Policy, There's a Problem
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