Facing a government shutdown fight over ICE, top Senate Democrats are doing their best to avoid getting dragged into a fight with Republicans over immigration policy.
Why it matters: After handedly losing on the immigration issue in 2024, Democratic leaders are trying to keep the fight focused on "law and order" instead.
- Senate Democrats in a private caucus meeting this week discussed how to beat back GOP attempts to steer the debate over ICE into one about immigration, multiple sources familiar with the meeting told Axios.
- In particular, Democrats are concerned that Republican leaders, including President Trump, are injecting issues like the SAVE Act and sanctuary cities into discussions about funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
- It is also an indication that those Republican priorities will be a nonstarter for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) in negotiations with the White House over reforms to ICE.
The big picture: Democratic leaders have seen the polling that shows the slide in public support for ICE's enforcement tactics, especially after the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota.
- "This isn't about trying to enact immigration reform," Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), a member of Schumer's leadership team, said at a press conference this week. "All we're asking is that this federal law enforcement agency operate like every other law enforcement agency operates in the country."
- Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.), a freshman senator, told Axios on Wednesday that he was hearing from constituents who are concerned for their safety.
- "American citizens were killed by federal agents," Kim said. "That doesn't happen on a regular basis."
Between the lines: The SAVE Act, which would require proof of citizenship for voting, was a major talking point for conservatives on the hill this week. And Senate Republicans are ramping up their focus on sanctuary cities.
- A pair of House Republicans said this week that they had received a promise that the Senate would hold a vote on the SAVE Act, in exchange for supporting a government funding package.
- And Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said on X his bill aimed at ending sanctuary cities would get a vote in the Senate next week.
The bottom line: Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), who's far from a regular bomb thrower, accused Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) of being "afraid of their shadows" on Wednesday.
- "Any time they're negotiating anyway with the Trump administration, their base has a meltdown, and these guys seem to be very, very afraid of that," Thune told reporters.
- For their part, the Democratic leaders said no reforms, no votes.
