House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Monday that House Democrats will refuse to put any money toward the Trump administration’s deportation efforts, laying out an aggressive agenda as his party prepares to take control of the chamber after midterm election wins.
“House Democrats have taken the position that we’re not going to give a dime to the administration’s violent mass deportation machine,” Jeffries said at a press conference.
He framed the midterm results as a repudiation of the administration’s approach. “The American people clearly and decisively rejected MAGA extremism on Tuesday and voted for dramatic change,” Jeffries said.
Jeffries argued that federal spending has gone toward the wrong priorities under President Donald Trump. “Taxpayer dollars should be used to make life more affordable for the American people, not brutalize or kill American citizens, and violently target law-abiding immigrant communities and families, which is what has happened over the last two years,” he said.
Jeffries also said he is hoping to pick up one more Republican signature on a discharge petition that would force a floor vote on the American Dream and Promise Act, legislation that would offer permanent legal status and a path to citizenship for Dreamers and recipients of Temporary Protected Status. “Hopefully some of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle will be willing to do that work, perhaps beginning with one additional signature that we need to force a vote on the Dream and Promise Act from a Republican,” he said.
Among the party’s other stated priorities, Jeffries said Democrats want to pass a ban on stock trading by members of Congress, an effort he tied to rebuilding public trust in government.
Jeffries also said he supports an impeachment resolution targeting Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over his handling of the war in Iran and allegations of constitutional violations. “I’m a hard yes, as I’ve made clear, on the impeachment resolution. Pete Hegseth has abused his power, undermined America’s national security, and he’s the architect of the reckless and costly failed war of choice in Iran, which has skyrocketed gas prices on everyday Americans, made the country less safe,” Jeffries said. “Iran is stronger now than they were before,” he added.
The remarks came a week before House Democrats are set to vote on whether Jeffries will remain their leader. Asked whether he was worried about criticism from progressive members who have said he hasn’t been aggressive enough during his time as leader, Jeffries said he intends to speak individually with every member of the caucus before the vote. “I’m going to work hard to talk to every single member about what we’ve been able to do together over the last two years, and what the opportunities are for us to do together in the next two years,” he said.
