Dear Colleague on Republican Shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security

Dear Colleague:

I write with respect to the upcoming legislative work week in Washington. The Department of Homeland Security has been shut down for more than 30 days because Donald Trump and Republican extremists refuse to get ICE under control.

Meanwhile, hardworking employees of the TSA, CISA, Coast Guard and FEMA have been forced to work without pay. Republicans continue to spend taxpayer dollars to fund ICE brutality against American citizens and law-abiding immigrant families. At the same time, Donald Trump and his sycophants in Congress are spending billions to drop bombs in the Middle East, instead of restoring their cuts to Medicaid and nutritional assistance for millions of children, veterans, seniors and everyday Americans.

Republicans have been in complete control of the federal government for 15 months and have done nothing to make life more affordable. Rather, grocery bills are out of control, housing costs have risen, health insurance premiums are skyrocketing and gas prices are through the roof. Instead of addressing the affordability crisis, Republicans claim that it is a hoax. The toxic GOP agenda includes endless war, regime change, ICE brutality, reckless Trump tariffs and peddling Islamophobia. The American people deserve better.

Upon our return, House Democrats will discharge legislation put forth by Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro that funds the TSA, FEMA, Coast Guard, CISA and the parts of the Department of Homeland Security that do not include ICE and the Trump mass deportation machine. We will launch the discharge petition effort on Wednesday, March 18 - the first day it ripens - on the Capitol Steps at 12:00 p.m. I urge all members to join us as we press Republicans for an up-or-down vote on legislation to protect our hardworking federal civil servants.

At the same time, House Democrats will continue to demand changes to ICE that are bold, meaningful and transformational. Immigration enforcement in this country should be fair, just and humane. That is not what is happening right now.

The extreme Republican policy of mass deportation has resulted in the cold-blooded killing of two American citizens and the wasting of billions of taxpayer dollars to brutalize communities throughout the country. This must end. We have succeeded in our effort to rid the country of Kristi Noem at the helm of DHS. However, a change in personnel is not sufficient, particularly with the malignant Stephen Miller at the White House. The American people deserve a dramatic change in policy.

Thank you for your continued leadership as we fight to lower the high cost of living, fix our broken healthcare system, get ICE under control and stop the reckless war of choice that Republicans have launched in the Middle East.

Sincerely,

Hakeem Jeffries

Democratic Leader