House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries accused the White House on Sunday of attempting to “extort” $230 million as President Donald Trump seeks a settlement for past legal troubles, escalating tensions during a partial government shutdown that began Saturday.
Jeffries made the remarks during an appearance on This Week with George Stephanopoulos, where he also outlined Democratic demands for what he called “dramatic” reform of the Department of Homeland Security as negotiations over funding bills stalled in Washington D.C.
“We need a robust path toward dramatic reform,” Jeffries told the program, emphasizing that Democrats would not support expedited passage of Senate-approved funding legislation without substantial changes to immigration enforcement operations.
The shutdown entered its second day as House Democrats signaled they would not help fast-track the Senate-passed funding measure, complicating Speaker Mike Johnson’s efforts to resolve the impasse. Johnson said he remains confident the package will pass by Tuesday, but Democrats’ refusal to support suspension of the rules—which would require a two-thirds majority—means Republicans must navigate their razor-thin majority through multiple procedural hurdles.
The House Rules Committee markup on the Senate-passed funding package is set for Monday at 4 p.m., marking the first step in a longer legislative process than Republicans had initially anticipated. Johnson told reporters he would need to have extensive conversations with individual Republican members over the next 24 hours to secure sufficient support.
The funding dispute centers on how to handle the Department of Homeland Security budget as Democrats demand significant restrictions on Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations. The Senate voted 71-29 on Friday to separate the DHS funding bill from five other agency spending measures for the remainder of the fiscal year, agreeing to a two-week negotiation period with the White House.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer laid out his caucus’s core demands following the Friday vote, declaring that Democrats would demand an end to roving patrols and enforce accountability measures. “If our colleagues are not willing to enact real change, they should not expect Democratic votes,” Schumer said.
The deal negotiated between Senate leadership and the White House requires ICE agents to wear body cameras turned on and not wear masks during enforcement operations. These provisions emerged in response to the death of Alex Pretti, who was killed in a shooting involving federal law enforcement in Minneapolis.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump will be the “decider” on immigration enforcement reforms, signaling the president’s direct involvement in policy negotiations. Leavitt noted that the White House had invited moderate Democratic senators to discuss their concerns, though she said the meeting was blocked by Democratic leadership.
Representative Ro Khanna indicated he would vote against the DHS funding bill, reflecting broader skepticism among progressive Democrats about supporting continued ICE funding without substantial policy changes. Senator Chris Murphy questioned whether the Trump administration genuinely sought compromise on immigration enforcement.
The partial government shutdown affects multiple agencies whose funding expired when Congress failed to reach a compromise by the end of Jan. 30. While some areas of the federal government received funding earlier, several departments remain without appropriations.
Republican Representative Michael McCaul criticized Gregory Bovino for his handling of the Minneapolis operation, saying he “put his agents in a position they should never have been put in.” McCaul expressed confidence that White House border czar Tom Homan could help deescalate tensions and refocus ICE on what he described as targeted law enforcement operations rather than roving patrols.
The Senate vote on Friday came after Senator Lindsey Graham lifted his hold on the legislation following a commitment from Senate Majority Leader John Thune for a vote in the coming weeks on banning sanctuary cities. Graham had initially blocked the measure to secure consideration of provisions that were stripped from the House-passed version.
Republican senators voted against the Senate package. The bipartisan margin reflected broad support for resolving at least part of the funding dispute, even as negotiations over DHS appropriations continued.
The two-week timeline agreed upon by Senate leadership and the White House creates pressure for rapid negotiations on immigration enforcement policy. Democrats are demanding that reforms begin immediately rather than waiting until the negotiation period expires, with Jeffries emphasizing that the administration must take action today, not in two weeks.
The funding impasse represents a test of Johnson’s ability to manage his narrow House majority amid competing demands from Democrats and conservative Republicans. Some House GOP members have expressed frustration with the Senate deal, viewing compromises on immigration enforcement as unacceptable. Democrats, meanwhile, argue that recent events in Minneapolis demonstrate the urgent need for accountability measures and restrictions on ICE operations.
Congressional leaders from both parties face the challenge of balancing their members’ demands while avoiding an extended shutdown that could affect federal services. The partial nature of the current shutdown means that some government operations continue normally, but affected agencies face disruption and uncertainty as the funding fight drags into its second day.
The inclusion of body camera requirements and mask prohibitions for ICE agents represents a significant policy shift that immigration enforcement advocates say could improve transparency and accountability. Critics argue these measures could hamper agents’ ability to conduct operations effectively, particularly in situations where officer safety is a concern.
As negotiations continue, both parties must also contend with the political implications of the shutdown. Republicans control both chambers of Congress and the White House, creating pressure on GOP leadership to demonstrate governing competence. Democrats, meanwhile, face internal divisions between moderates willing to compromise and progressives demanding more substantial reforms to immigration enforcement.
The coming days will determine whether negotiators can bridge the gap between Democratic demands for immigration enforcement reforms and Republican priorities for border security funding. With the House Rules Committee meeting scheduled for Monday afternoon and a potential floor vote by Tuesday, lawmakers have a narrow window to reach agreement before the shutdown extends further into the week.