Overview:
“These untrained, masked ICE agents are creating chaos on purpose."
Tennessee Democrats urged federal lawmakers to reject increases to immigration funding, but signals from the state’s Republican Senators don’t leave much hope for that.
Funding packages are in the pipe for the U.S. Senate. They include House versions of bills that increase money for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the U.S. Border Patrol. Those agencies are under fire after the law-enforcement killing of protester Alex Pretti in Minneapolis last week.
Moves appear underway for Senate Democrats to block the funding. So far, however, the caucus alone does not have the number of votes needed to block funding. It would need Independents and some Republicans to make the move more than symbolic.
The Tennessee Democratic Party called on Tennessee Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Haggerty to join the move to block the funding. The party cited increased violence from immigration agents.
”Our communities deserve to be safe,” reads a statement from the party. “These untrained, masked ICE agents are creating chaos on purpose.
“These are not isolated incidents, it is a dangerous pattern. ICE must get out of our communities and Congress must stop giving them our money.”
However, recent social media statements from Blackburn and Hagerty don’t signal they’ll join that fight.
”(Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer) wants to shut down the government AGAIN because he puts illegal immigrants above law enforcement,” Hagerty wrote on X Saturday. ”Instead of bowing to his socialist flank, what Schumer should be doing is telling (Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz) to stop encouraging violence and let law enforcement do its job. He must turn the rhetoric down and all the chaos is on his hands.
”We don’t have this problem in Tennessee because state and local authorities actually cooperate.”
It’s unclear what exactly Hagerty was referencing by citing the cooperation of state and local officials. But Memphis Mayor Paul Young said on Facebook Monday that his office has not collaborated with ICE on immigration.
Blackburn, too, commented on the situation on X over a series of tweets. She also referenced local cooperation without specifics.
“Americans sent President Trump back to the White House to stop the reign of terror by criminal illegal aliens unleashed by Joe Biden,” Black burn wrote Monday. “Now, Democrats want to shut down part of the government to defy the will of the American people and reward illegal aliens for breaking our laws.
“Memphis is seeing real progress and phenomenal results thanks to cooperative leadership from local officials.
“While Democrats fuel fires and instigate chaos, Tennesseans are seeing safer communities thanks to the help of federal law enforcement.
“From the Memphis Safe Task Force to arresting criminal illegals, local officials in Tennessee have worked with federal agencies instead of stoking chaos.
“This partnership has made our communities safer, and blue cities across the country should take note.”
However, Tennessee Democrats said the escalating enforcement tactics by federal law enforcement “have torn families apart … while offering no meaningful relief to working families.”
“Rather than spending money to improve the lives of Tennesseans and Americans across the country, Republicans from the White House to our Statehouse are choosing to fund this masked secret police under the guise of a manufactured public safety crisis,” said Luis Mata, communications and deputy executive director of the Tennessee Democratic Party. “Public safety cannot exist where fear and violence are normalized.
“At a time when Tennesseans are facing an affordability crisis, pouring more money into an already bloated ICE budget is a slap in the face to working families across our state and beyond.
“Healthcare costs are rising. Housing is out of reach. Childcare is unaffordable. Grocery bills keep climbing. Families need relief, not more cruelty. Democrats will keep fighting like hell to protect the dignity and safety of our neighbors.”