Rep. John Rose said on Newsmax, Monday, that he's open to requiring Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to carry identification while in the field, using the issue to underscore what he called Democratic inconsistency on voter identification as Congress appears to head toward a showdown over Homeland Security funding.
Democrats want "ICE agents to have identification on them when they are in the field," Rose said. "Novel idea. I think it's a pretty good one, actually.
"I think that maybe it's OK if ICE agents have identification — and maybe you should have an ID when you vote."
The Tennessee Republican told "Wake Up America" that the identification requirement — one of several Democratic demands connected to DHS funding — could be an area of agreement, even as he criticized Democrats for seeking broader limits on immigration enforcement.
Democrats are threatening to block continued funding for the Department of Homeland Security unless the Trump administration agrees to changes aimed at curbing ICE operations.
Republicans have warned that a shutdown would disrupt DHS, FEMA, TSA, the Coast Guard, and the Secret Service.
Rose accused Democrats of using the funding deadline to push what he described as a "sanctuary country" agenda, arguing that their demands would weaken federal law enforcement and endanger public safety.
"They're willing to harm American citizens to protect illegal aliens that are committing crimes in our country," Rose said, warning that Democrats are prepared to shut down critical agencies to force concessions.
He also rejected Democratic arguments that ICE enforcement should be scaled back, saying lawmakers should support officers carrying out federal law.
"My parents taught me when you see a police officer or law enforcement officer, you comply," Rose said. "We shouldn't be interfering with our federal law enforcement agents' duty to enforce the laws of this country."
Rose acknowledged he initially planned to oppose last week's spending bill, because it did not include the SAVE Act, a Republican-backed election integrity measure, but ultimately voted for the legislation.
"I think the bill that we initially passed was right on target," Rose said. "Frankly, I think it was probably a mistake to separate that issue and give Democrats a chance to negotiate on this further."
Despite signaling limited openness on the ICE identification issue, Rose said Democrats' broader demands show they have not learned from voter backlash to border policies under the Biden administration.
"They've decided these criminal illegal aliens are more important than American citizens and American citizens' safety," he said.
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Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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