Rep. Pete Sessions forcefully rejected Democrat demands to scale back immigration enforcement operations, arguing Monday on Newsmax that Republicans "should not give in" as a funding standoff over the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) continues.
The Texas Republican told "Wake Up America" that proposals aimed at limiting enforcement activities by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), such as the agents not being allowed to wear masks, amount to undermining federal agents carrying out laws passed by Congress.
"There are going to be people that are out there who vigorously get in the way of law enforcement. They have their masks on," Sessions said. "These federal agents that are doing the job that we've asked them to do, and that 80% of Americans actually want them to do, needs to be done safely."
The dispute comes with the government partially shut down as lawmakers remain deadlocked over funding for DHS, with Democrats pushing for policy changes tied to immigration enforcement as part of any long-term spending agreement.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has argued that Democrat proposals are "common sense," including measures intended to curb what critics describe as overreach by immigration authorities.
Sessions pushed back sharply, framing the debate as one centered on protecting law enforcement rather than restricting it, saying Republicans would continue to back ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel amid ongoing immigration enforcement efforts.
"The bottom line is Republicans are common sense," Sessions said. "We will not give in. We will protect the men and women of law enforcement."
With neither side signaling a willingness to budge, the impasse over DHS funding and immigration enforcement appears poised to continue, leaving the broader policy fight over ICE's authority unresolved.
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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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