LEADER JEFFRIES: “RATHER THAN GET ICE UNDER CONTROL, REPUBLICANS HAVE DECIDED TO FORCE TSA AGENTS TO WORK WITHOUT PAY”

Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries held a press event with House Democrats on the Capitol steps about the discharge petition to end the Trump-Republican shutdown, pay hardworking TSA agents and rein in ICE.

LEADER JEFFRIES: We are gathered today on the Capitol steps in support, strong support of paying TSA agents, making sure that FEMA and the Coast Guard and our cybersecurity professionals who are keeping us safe are supported, and can be put back on the job with pay.

This is day 33 of the Trump-Republican shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. Why is this happening? It's because Republicans have decided to force TSA agents to work without pay, inconvenience millions of Americans across the country and create chaos at airports rather than get ICE under control. That's what's happening right now in this country. And it's time for Republicans to stop holding the American people hostage to their extreme immigration agenda and to put the American people first. It's time to pay TSA agents and it's time to pay them now.

We believe, in this great country of ours, that taxpayer dollars should be used to make life more affordable for the American people, not to brutalize or kill them, which is what ICE has been doing. And so, we have a choice. We can fund TSA, fund the Coast Guard, fund FEMA, fund our cybersecurity professionals or continue to allow ICE to brutalize and, in some cases, kill American citizens or to violently target law-abiding immigrant families. America deserves better than what we're getting from Donald Trump and extreme MAGA Republicans.

And so we stand here today united, understanding that the country is at a crossroads. As Democrats, we want to move America forward. Republicans are trying to turn back the clock. We're working hard to bring people together. Republicans are tearing America apart. We want to make life more affordable for the American people because America right now is far too expensive because of toxic Republican policies. Housing costs out of control, healthcare premiums out of control, gas prices out of control, electricity bills out of control, grocery costs out of control.

America is too expensive and Democrats are fighting hard to make life more affordable. But Republicans have chosen to hold the country hostage. Instead of working to lower costs on day one, which is what Candidate Trump promised, their policies are making life more expensive and they've chosen to focus their energies on spending billions of taxpayer dollars on the one hand to drop bombs in a reckless war of choice in the Middle East and then spend billions of taxpayer dollars at home to unleash mass and untrained ICE agents to brutalize American communities and violently target law-abiding immigrant families.

The American people deserve better. And the American people deserve a country where its lawmakers are actually focused on lifting them up, making life better for them, as opposed to being held hostage, which is the case right now with the Trump-Republican shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, being held hostage to their extreme agenda.

Now, we believe, in terms of the dramatic reforms that are necessary, related to ICE, which is out of control, that ICE should conduct itself like every other law enforcement agency in the country because immigration enforcement in this country should be fair, just and humane. But that's not what's happening right now.

The body cameras need to go on, and the masks need to come off. We need judicial warrants before ICE agents can break into the homes of the American people. We need independent investigations. We need an end to racial and language profiling because that's not who we are in the United States of America. And we need to protect sensitive locations, like houses of worship, schools, hospitals and yes, polling sites. But we want ICE nowhere near any of these places. That's what we're fighting for as Democrats.

But rather than get ICE under control, Republicans have decided to force TSA agents to work without pay, to undermine FEMA and the Coast Guard and our cybersecurity professionals. Republican leaders have refused to bring legislation to the Floor that would pay TSA agents, support FEMA and fund the Coast Guard, which is why we have launched this discharge petition effort today. And all we need are a handful of House Republicans to break with their extremism and join us in just a few moments when we go to the House Floor to sign the discharge petition.

Now, some cynics on the other side have said this is just for show. House Democrats aren't show horses, we're work horses. This ain't for show. This is for the American people. And we've now launched three successful discharge petition efforts. Let's check the record. Three successful discharge petition efforts. Most recently, to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits for three years so that everyday Americans can afford to go see a doctor when they need one. Discharge petitions are difficult, some say impossible. But for us, difficult takes a day, impossible takes a week.

And we're on the verge of once again, for a fourth time, doing the impossible on behalf of the American people to pay TSA, rein in ICE and focus on what matters for the American people, which is driving down their high cost of living and pushing back against the extremism of Donald Trump and the Republican Party. Sign the discharge petition.

Full event can be watched here.