Democrats’ ICE Dilemma: Funding Fights and Guardrails, Not Abolition

Democrats are split on how to curb ICE’s power: a full shutdown is unlikely to deprive ICE of funding since the agency is already sitting on billions from the Trump-era tax cuts, while redirecting funds to other agencies or pursuing guardrails faces stiff political hurdles. Some lawmakers advocate redirecting ICE money to local law enforcement or reforming DHS, but achieving consensus requires majorities and bipartisan buy-in. With a Jan. 30 funding deadline looming, many favor a stopgap (CR) while pressing for reforms, while others warn that a shutdown or punitive actions could backfire on the party and the broader immigration agenda.