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Hakeem Jeffries: “ICE needs to be reformed in a dramatic, bold, meaningful and…”

Featuring: Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic | U.S. House New York, 8th Congressional District

WATCH LIVE: Hakeem Jeffries Holds A Press Briefing As Partial Government Shutdown Continues

Published February 18, 2026 | Video Starts at 01:35

It is our view that immigration enforcement in this country should be fair, it should be just, and it should be humane. That's not what's happening right now in the United States of America. And that's why ICE needs to be reformed in a dramatic, bold, meaningful and transformational manner. And if that doesn't happen, the DHS funding bill will not move forward. Questions? You met with Maryland state delegation earlier today. Is there any outcome on redistricting? (01:35–01:43)

CLAIM

Asserts the necessity for significant reform of ICE.

This is an excerpt from a raw transcript. The assertions have not been audited or verified. Tap the video to view the source footage and understand the context.

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Hakeem Jeffries

“Republicans are the ones who decided to pass this one big ugly bill, rip health care away from millions of Americans, enact the largest cut…”
WATCH LIVE: Hakeem Jeffries Holds A Press Briefing As Partial Government Shutdown Continues | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 04:21-04:34
“Passing a $186 billion cut to SNAP, which also happens to be the largest cut in American history.”
WATCH LIVE: Hakeem Jeffries Holds A Press Briefing As Partial Government Shutdown Continues | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 04:40-04:49
“Gave ICE a $75 billion slush fund so mass and untrained agents could be violently unleashed in American communities.”
WATCH LIVE: Hakeem Jeffries Holds A Press Briefing As Partial Government Shutdown Continues | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 04:52-05:03
“The Trump tariffs are causing everyday Americans to pay thousands of dollars more in additional expenses per year.”
WATCH LIVE: Hakeem Jeffries Holds A Press Briefing As Partial Government Shutdown Continues | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 13:03-13:11
“This is day five of the Trump Republican shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security.”
WATCH LIVE: Hakeem Jeffries Holds A Press Briefing As Partial Government Shutdown Continues | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 00:06-00:14
“This is day five of the Trump Republican shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security.”
WATCH LIVE: Hakeem Jeffries Holds A Press Briefing As Partial Government Shutdown Continues | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 00:06-00:14
“Republicans have decided that they would rather shut down fema, shut down TSA, and shut down the Coast Guard, then get ICE under control.”
WATCH LIVE: Hakeem Jeffries Holds A Press Briefing As Partial Government Shutdown Continues | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 00:17-00:29
“The American people know that ICE needs to be reined in.”
WATCH LIVE: Hakeem Jeffries Holds A Press Briefing As Partial Government Shutdown Continues | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 00:29-00:35
“House Republicans are deciding to shut down the Department of Homeland Security.”
WATCH LIVE: Hakeem Jeffries Holds A Press Briefing As Partial Government Shutdown Continues | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 01:03-01:21
“Democrats have given our Republican colleagues an opportunity to [fix the problem].”
WATCH LIVE: Hakeem Jeffries Holds A Press Briefing As Partial Government Shutdown Continues | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 01:08-01:14
“If that doesn't happen, the DHS funding bill will not move forward.”
WATCH LIVE: Hakeem Jeffries Holds A Press Briefing As Partial Government Shutdown Continues | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 01:43-01:51
“It's our view, and I believe this is the view that has been clearly and decisively shared by Governor West Moore, that the best course of…”
WATCH LIVE: Hakeem Jeffries Holds A Press Briefing As Partial Government Shutdown Continues | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 02:41-02:58
“There should be a restoration of the prohibition against the excessive use of force.”
WATCH LIVE: Hakeem Jeffries Holds A Press Briefing As Partial Government Shutdown Continues | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 06:09-06:16
“There should be independent investigations so that when ICE or CBP agents violently break the law, state and local authorities have the…”
WATCH LIVE: Hakeem Jeffries Holds A Press Briefing As Partial Government Shutdown Continues | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 06:15-06:33
“Sensitive locations should be off limits. That includes, but is not limited to, schools, hospitals, houses of worship and polling sites.”
WATCH LIVE: Hakeem Jeffries Holds A Press Briefing As Partial Government Shutdown Continues | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 06:34-06:46
“ICE agents should identify themselves, that body cameras need to go on and masks need to come off.”
WATCH LIVE: Hakeem Jeffries Holds A Press Briefing As Partial Government Shutdown Continues | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 06:49-06:58
“An ICE agency that is completely and totally out of control.”
WATCH LIVE: Hakeem Jeffries Holds A Press Briefing As Partial Government Shutdown Continues | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 07:28-07:32
“ICE needs to conduct itself like every other law enforcement agency in the country.”
WATCH LIVE: Hakeem Jeffries Holds A Press Briefing As Partial Government Shutdown Continues | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 08:56-09:00
“Mandating judicial warrants before ICE agents can storm private property or rip everyday Americans or law abiding immigrant families from…”
WATCH LIVE: Hakeem Jeffries Holds A Press Briefing As Partial Government Shutdown Continues | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 10:03-10:13
“We need a dramatic change in policy. We also need a change in personnel.”
WATCH LIVE: Hakeem Jeffries Holds A Press Briefing As Partial Government Shutdown Continues | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 10:16-10:20
“There should be a prohibition against racial profiling, ethnic profiling, and language profiling.”
WATCH LIVE: Hakeem Jeffries Holds A Press Briefing As Partial Government Shutdown Continues | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 10:40-10:48
“Housing costs in the United States of America are completely and totally out of control.”
WATCH LIVE: Hakeem Jeffries Holds A Press Briefing As Partial Government Shutdown Continues | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 11:58-12:02
“Republicans have made the situation worse in part by their inaction.”
WATCH LIVE: Hakeem Jeffries Holds A Press Briefing As Partial Government Shutdown Continues | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 12:02-12:07
“Donald Trump said it would happen on day one. And the real state of the economy right now is that housing costs haven't gone down, they've…”
WATCH LIVE: Hakeem Jeffries Holds A Press Briefing As Partial Government Shutdown Continues | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 12:13-12:25
“We need to build more housing that is affordable to working class Americans, middle class Americans and everyday Americans.”
WATCH LIVE: Hakeem Jeffries Holds A Press Briefing As Partial Government Shutdown Continues | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 13:18-13:27
“Republican policies have failed on the economy, lowering costs, housing costs, health care, and immigration enforcement.”
WATCH LIVE: Hakeem Jeffries Holds A Press Briefing As Partial Government Shutdown Continues | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 14:10-14:23
“The real state of the economy is failing, the real state of health care failing, the real state of immigration enforcement failing.”
WATCH LIVE: Hakeem Jeffries Holds A Press Briefing As Partial Government Shutdown Continues | Uploaded February 18, 2026 | 17:58-18:08