Imagine calling the men and women tasked with protecting our borders a “killing machine” — while simultaneously refusing to fund their work. That’s exactly the kind of lunacy House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is peddling, as if he’s auditioning for an MSNBC panel gig instead of leading a political party.
This week, Jeffries went on CNN and declared that firing DHS Secretary Kristi Noem wasn’t enough to earn Democrat support for a Republican-backed DHS funding bill. Translation: There’s nothing the White House can do to stop Democrats from shutting down the government. Democrats would rather risk a government shutdown than keep the American people safe by keeping our borders secure and criminal illegals out of our country.
Let’s unpack this. Jeffries went full activist, claiming “taxpayer dollars can’t be used to kill American citizens, to brutalize American communities and to target violently law-abiding—” before being cut off by CNN’s Kate Bolduan, who — to her credit — reminded him that, actually, there’s no policy allowing DHS to kill citizens. But facts are such a buzzkill when you’re trying to score woke points.
Jeffries cited the recent deaths of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, both of whom were shot by federal agents during raids. Now, were these tragic? Of course. Should they be investigated? Absolutely. But Jeffries skipped the nuance and went straight to the narrative: “We have a DHS killing machine.” Nothing like demonizing federal agents to shore up progressive street cred.
And then we get the punchline: Jeffries wants ICE — the agency tasked with removing illegal aliens, including criminals — to act like your local sheriff’s deputy, complete with bodycams and warrants. He says ICE agents should be prosecuted like regular cops when they “break the law,” as if that’s not already the standard. But here’s the kicker — Jeffries claims the Trump administration thinks ICE is “absolutely immune.” A bold claim, considering the Trump DOJ has prosecuted rogue agents before. But again, this isn’t about facts — it’s about theater.
Let’s not forget what’s really going on here. Democrats are threatening to tank an entire government spending package — one that funds FEMA, the Department of Transportation, and even the Department of War — because they don’t want ICE to keep doing its job. This isn’t principled opposition. It’s a hostage situation. And the ransom note is written in progressive slogans and political delusions.
The conservative House Freedom Caucus, to their credit, isn’t budging. They passed the bill last week with ICE funding intact, warning they won’t play ball if Senate Democrats try to gut enforcement. Good. Someone has to act like adults while the minority party plays dress-up revolutionaries.
Here’s the real strategy: Democrats like Jeffries want to neuter border enforcement while blaming Republicans for any shutdown fallout. It’s a win-win — unless you’re, say, an American citizen who expects the government to, I don’t know, secure the border and enforce the law.
While Jeffries hyperventilates over masks and bodycams, illegal crossings continue to surge, fentanyl keeps pouring in, and cartel violence grows more sophisticated. But sure, let’s focus on whether ICE agents look too scary while serving warrants.
This is what happens when your party is run by Twitter activists with law degrees. They turn law enforcement into villains and criminals into victims — all while holding your government hostage.
The question is: how far are they willing to go? And how many institutions will they wreck trying to get there?