The American people have put their lives on the line to resist ICE. Literally. In doing so, they have made tremendous headway in forcing the administration to reconsider some of ICE’s worst abuses. The question of ICE’s future has now moved to the Senate, where Democrats can use the filibuster to defund the Department of Homeland Security, ICE’s parent agency. The filibuster is powerful leverage, especially when combined with the outrage of the American people over ICE’s murderous rampage.
Democrats can shut down about 50% of the federal government or, alternatively, indefinitely suspend funding for DHS until Republicans agree to major reforms at ICE.
It is difficult to discern where the Democratic caucus in the Senate is at this moment in time. Democratic leadership in the Senate seems to be signaling the outlines of a compromise that would keep both the government open and DHS funded. But individual senators speak of withholding all funding for DHS until there are major reforms at ICE.
The Wall Street Journal seems to have good sources within the Democratic leadership in the Senate and has reported the following outlines of a deal:
First, [Schumer] said, Democrats want to end roving patrols, tighten the rules governing warrants, and require that Immigration and Customs Enforcement coordinate with state and local law enforcement.
Second, federal agents should be held to the same use-of-force policies that apply to other police forces and be held accountable for violations, including through independent investigations, Schumer said.
Finally, federal agents must be prohibited from wearing masks and required to use body cameras and carry proper identification, he said.
See WSJ, Democrats Lay Out Demands on Immigration Agents as Shutdown Nears. (Gift article accessible to all.)
The proposed reforms can be summarized as follows: ICE will follow some (not all) of the rules and practices observed by every other law enforcement agency in the US.
If Senate Democrats relinquish the filibuster in exchange for the above reforms, they can retreat to their private clubs in smug satisfaction and take a long nap after a heavy lunch. Meanwhile, Americans will continue to die in the streets because ICE is a rogue agency filled unvetted, unqualified, untrained, heavily armed men supervised by angry white supremacists and Congress will have done nothing to stop it.
ICE is a broken agency that does not deserve to exist. The necessary reforms must come very close to shutting down ICE and rebuilding it from the ground up.
ICE is filled with agents for whom no background check was conducted. It is filled with agents who have no prior experience or training in use of force. It is filled with new hires who responded to ads that used explicit reference to “first person shooter video games” in which the objective was to “stop the flood” of “aliens” from destroying humanity. They must all fired and given the opportunity to re-apply under stringent background checks, qualification requirements, and extensive training for law enforcement officers.
ICE has been granted an obscene budget increase such that a conservative estimate of its annual budget gives it more resources than the armies of nations like Italy, Israel, and Brazil. ICE’s annual budget is about 50% of the UK’s military budget—which has the world’s sixth largest army. Newsweek (7/3/25), ICE Budget Now Bigger Than Most of the World’s Militaries.
ICE’s current leadership should be impeached, fired, and prosecuted for obstruction of justice arising from the interference with Minnesota’s criminal investigation of the murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
ICE’s secret database of peaceful protesters must be purged and destroyed, with notice to every American who was illegally included in the database because they exercised their first amendment rights. See Ken Klippenstein (Substack), ICE Making List of Anyone Who Films Them.
There is more, but Democrats should not be the people proposing the reforms. Democrats can simply say, “No! Republicans should make a proposal that will satisfy us, and we will let you know when you have given enough.”
Josh Marshall makes this point in Talking Points Memo on 1/28/26.
Marshall writes:
I saw Bill Kristol saying earlier this week that Democrats were struggling to coalesce around a specific list of proposals or demands. That’s not what’s important, he said. What’s important is simply to say, “No!”
I’d expand on that by saying that I’m not sure it’s a good idea to get forced into being the side that comes up with a proposal. If I were up there, I’d say, “We won’t stand for any of this. We don’t want masked secret police preying on American communities.”
“You want our votes? You solve it. You tell us how you’re going to clean up your mess and the chaos and bloodshed you’ve caused.” The public really, really doesn’t like this. Republican politicians are looking for ways to get out from under it.
I don’t think Democrats need to do Republicans’ work for them. It’s a moment when the job of the opposition is simply to say, “No!”
So, Senate Democrats, leave behind all the strategizing and negotiating. Swing for the fences and then wait for Republicans to beg you to fund DHS. Otherwise, you are letting down the people who elected you to represent them, people who are literally risking their lives to stop ICE. Let them know you have their backs. Or be prepared for them to turn their backs on you when you next ask for their support.
Some good news and some bad news about the investigation of killers of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
DHS has belatedly placed on administrative leave the two officers who killed Alex Pretti. See BBC News, Agents involved in shooting of Minnesota man Alex Pretti put on leave.
It is unclear whether Renee Good’s killer, Jonathan Ross, remains on duty. His home has been emptied of contents by federal agents and he has not been seen since the day of the shooting. A reasonable inference is that Jonathan Ross and his family are in some type of federal “witness protection program.” Deputy Attorney General has said that there is no reason to investigate Jonathon Ross’s criminal liability, if any, in the killing of Renee Good.
DHS is conducting the investigation of the killing of Alex Pretti, but it is not clear whether the investigation is focused on the two killers or the victim. See Borderland Talk with Jenn Budd (Substack), Former Border Patrol chief known for illegal coverups leads Pretti homicide investigation.
Meanwhile, state investigators remain blocked from both cases. See Minnesota Star Tribune, Editorial, Who shot Alex Pretti? Federal officials won’t say. (“The Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security have so far refused to cooperate with state investigators and release evidence crucial to understanding the timeline of events and circumstances leading up to the slaying of the 37-year-old Minnesota resident.”)
In short, despite lip service to an “independent investigation,” the evidence suggests that federal authorities are attempting to cover up the crimes of ICE and CBP agents. Senate Democrats should take that fact into consideration when evaluating the merits of funding DHS.
Administration attempt to smear Alex Pretti
The administration has leaked a video of a man presumed to be Alex Pretti in an incident about two weeks before his murder. The brief snippet released to a right wing journalist shows Alex Pretti shouting at a group of ICE agents departing a location in an SUV. Pretti spits toward the SUV, then kicks the back tail light. The agents depart from the vehicle, gang tackle Pretti, and then leave when a crowd gathers. I am not going to link to the video to avoid giving it more clicks. It you want to view it, search for Fox 11 News, New video shows Alex Pretti appear to spit on, break tail light of federal agent’s vehicle.
Nothing in the video has any bearing on the events surrounding his murder. The only relevant fact may be that he was also carrying his pistol in his back waistband when he was tackled, but did not unholster it during the incident.
Bruce Springsteen releases song about the Streets of Minneapolis.
Bruce Springsteen has released a moving song about the ICE invasion of Minneapolis and the murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Thanks to reader Steve Widmer for being the first of many readers to bring this powerful song to my attention.
Listen to the song here: Bruce Springsteen - Streets Of Minneapolis (Official Audio)
Tesla’s auto sales and profit suffer first-ever yearly decline.
For those steadfast souls who are maintaining weekly #TelsaTakedown protests, your work is paying off! See The Telegraph, First ever Tesla revenue decline after Musk backlash. (“Activists last year launched “Tesla Takedown” protests targeting the carmakers’ stores in a bid to slow sales after Mr Musk was appointed by the White House to cut government spending.”)
Reporting on Tesla’s financial performance has been inconsistent. Altough Teslas unit sales, revenue, and profit from electric vehicles declined for the first time on an annual basis, Tesla “beat analyst’s expectations,” which on Wall Street counts for a “positive story.”
It is true that the entire electric vehicle market is struggling (in part, due to Trump). But Tesla has been hit particularly hard. And though most analysts have been reluctant to credit the #TeslaTakedown movement for the decline in sales, Musk said so the last time he spoke on an annual earnings call. See Rolling Stone (4/22/25), Elon Musk Bemoans ‘Paid’ Protests as Tesla Earnings Plummet.
The impact of the #TeslaTakedown protests is instructive. While protesters who stood in the streets week-after-week and month-after-month may have questioned the efficacy of their efforts, they were shaping the course of history through their determination and persistence.
We have not seen the last of Elon Musk’s meddling in our democracy. The success of the Tesla boycott should give him pause in the future. Good job, everyone!
Apologies for the confusing email on Wednesday.
I sent an email on Wednesday to remind Founding Members of our monthly Zoom call. I inadvertently sent that email to all readers. Substack inserted a default solicitation on the email inviting people to “upgrade” to the next level, i.e., the Founding Member level. That unintended solicitation caused confusion among some readers.
While many readers took the opportunity to join the Founding Member level (Thank you!), if you did so inadvertently, please write to me at rbhubbell@gmail.com. Again, apologies for the confusion.
Concluding Thoughts
I feverently hope that Senate Democrats will meet the moment by using their leverage to deconstruct and rebuild ICE from the ground up. The conditions for doing so will never get better. Senate Democrats should act boldly and courageously when they have the people backing them at historic levels. If we can’t do it with the overwhelming support of the people, we may be forced to wait until 2027 or 2029. How many more innocent people will die in the interim?
The resistance in Minnesota should be studied and replicated everywhere. ICE’s horrific actions in Minnesota are rightfully claiming most of the news media’s attention. But the situation in Maine is also horrific and deserves more coverage from the press and attention from everyday patriots. And there was a sudden uptick of ICE arrests in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
The point is this: Regardless of what happens this week in Congress, we are engaged in a long-term struggle. If we defeat ICE, Trump may pivot to the Insurrection Act or declare martial law (something he has no power to do and would be illegal). Or he may summon mobs to “protect” polling sites in 2026.
We have seized the momentum by showing up in the streets. We must continue to do so in greater numbers and with greater intensity in the coming weeks and months. In all candor, we have dragged congressional Democrats kicking and screaming behind us for most of the last eight years. Not ideal, but it has worked. If we must continue to do so, we should not bemoan our fate. Instead, we should be grateful that our resistance is paying off at just the right moment. It could be otherwise!
Talk to you soon, everyone!
Pro-democracy protest photos
Mt. Shasta, C
Sacramento, CA
Tempe, Arizona
Hinesburg Resists VT
Home Depot, Cypress, CA
Bend, Oregon
Payson, AZ
Indianapolis, IN
Santa Rosa, CA
Lake Oswego, Oregon
Midtown Manhattan.
Mass Pike overpass
Santa Rosa, Ca outside if the VA Clinic
Santa FE, NM
Palm Springs, CA
Hinesburg, Vermont
Charlottesville, VA
Hartford CT.
Amherst MA
Randolph, Vermont
Billerica MA
Waitsfield Vermont Protest
Boca Grande, Gasparilla Island, Florida
Gloucester MA
Fort Stanwix protest
Driggs, Idaho
Port Aransas, Texas
UC Davis
Pullman, WA
Sandpoint Indivisible, Sandpoint, Idaho. 220 gentle loving people, singing for our lives.
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