The next is the transcript of the interview with Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries, Democrat of New York, that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on Feb. 15, 2026.
ED O’KEEFE: We flip now to Home Democratic Chief Hakeem Jeffries, who joins us this morning from New York Metropolis. Chief Jeffries, thanks for being right here.
DEMOCRATIC LEADER HAKEEM JEFFRIES: Good morning. Nice to be with you.
ED O’KEEFE: In order this shutdown continues, I need to remind our viewers what it’s, precisely, congressional Democrats are looking for to reopen the Division of Homeland Safety. You need immigration brokers to point out IDs, to put on physique cameras, take off their masks, cease racial profiling and search judicial warrants to enter personal property. Talks between the White Home and congressional Democrats are persevering with. Are you keen to compromise, to let any of those go, to get the federal government reopened?
REP. JEFFRIES: Nicely, our worth proposition is easy, taxpayer {dollars} needs to be used to make life extra reasonably priced for the American individuals, not brutalize or kill them, as we horrifically noticed in Minneapolis with the chilly blooded killings of Rene Nicole Good and Alex Pretti. We all know, and the American individuals clearly know, that ICE is completely uncontrolled and so they must be reined in. As a result of the American individuals deserve immigration enforcement that’s truthful, that’s simply, and that’s humane. And so, we want dramatic change at ICE, together with, however not restricted to, the forms of issues that you just laid out earlier than any DHS funding invoice strikes ahead.
ED O’KEEFE: Aside from some flexibility on physique cameras, as a result of they’re beginning to spend some cash to get these on the market, some Republicans have rejected this record of coverage reform proposals. You guys nonetheless appear miles aside. So when, conceivably, will we see this resolved? And once more, I ask you, if- are there any of those factors that you just’re keen to let go with a purpose to get the federal government reopened?
REP. JEFFRIES: Nicely, we’re keen to have religion dialog about every thing, however essentially we want change that’s dramatic, that’s daring, that’s significant and that’s transformational. And these are widespread sense issues. As an example, judicial warrants needs to be required earlier than ICE brokers can storm personal property or rip on a regular basis People out of their houses. We have to make it possible for there are precise unbiased investigations, in order that if state and native legal guidelines are violated, in lots of circumstances, violently violated, that state and native authorities have the flexibility to criminally examine and criminally prosecute anybody who has violated the regulation. As a result of we can’t belief Kristi Noem or Pam Bondi to conduct an unbiased investigation. We imagine that delicate areas needs to be off limits, delicate areas like homes of worship, colleges, hospitals or polling websites, and that essentially ICE needs to be focusing on violent felons who’re right here unlawfully, versus violently focusing on regulation abiding immigrant households, which is totally inconsistent with what Donald Trump promised the American individuals he would do.
ED O’KEEFE: Proper. And we, in fact, this previous week reported that about 14% of these detained had violent prison information. About 60% of them had been needed on prison information total. But it surely was that 14%, violent criminals. Once more, I just- it seems like that is going to go on some time, as a result of Tom Homan wasn’t terribly versatile on something, particularly on the difficulty of warrants and masks. You are not ceding any floor. So there’s a couple of issues developing right here. For instance, State of the Union is scheduled for every week from Tuesday. Ought to it’s held if the Division of Homeland Safety is shut down?
REP. JEFFRIES: Nicely, we’ll cross that bridge after we get to it. It’s actually my hope–
ED O’KEEFE: –Seems like you are going to get to it, although. I mean–
REP. JEFFRIES:–we can come to a decision upfront of it. Nicely, this is the factor, the administration and Republicans have made a transparent determination that they’d moderately shut down FEMA, shut down the Coast Guard and shut down TSA, than enact the kind of dramatic reforms crucial in order that ICE and different DHS regulation enforcement companies are conducting themselves like each different regulation enforcement skilled within the nation. As an example, cops do not use masks. County Sheriffs do not use masks. State troopers do not use masks. Why is it that ICE brokers who’re untrained, are being unleashed on American communities with this sort of lawlessness, violence and brutality. Unacceptable, unconscionable, and it is un-American.
ED O’KEEFE: Yeah, and we went over this with Tom Homan a bit earlier. In fact, they level out that assaults in opposition to ICE officers have gone up over 1,300% this previous yr, from about 275 in comparison with 19 the yr earlier than. So there are some reliable issues about these brokers being focused, however your broader level about–
REP. JEFFRIES: –We will- yeah–
ED O’KEEFE:– whether or not or not regulation enforcement ought to behave the identical as our regulation enforcement is heard.
REP. JEFFRIES: Sure, and we’ll proceed, in fact, to encourage the American individuals to train their constitutional rights, their freedom of meeting and their freedom of speech and their freedom of expression peacefully, as we noticed overwhelmingly performed in Minneapolis.
ED O’KEEFE: All proper, properly we’ll keep tuned on the shutdown and the negotiations. Let me ask you a couple of different issues whereas we’ve got you. To begin with, you are a member of the Gang of Eight who will get briefed on nationwide safety issues. The Pentagon is reportedly planning for the potential for sustained, weeks-long operations in opposition to Iran if diplomacy fails and the president opts to assault. What are you aware about these plans? Or what would you need to be taught as a member of the Gang of Eight?
REP. JEFFRIES: Nicely, the administration, as has been the case for the reason that very starting of this presidency, has been sluggish to supply info each to the Gang of Eight members of Congress, the legislative management and the highest Democrats and Republicans on the Intel Committee and positively hasn’t supplied a major quantity of data to Congress typically. These individuals inside the administration, the extremists, they do not appear to imagine that Congress is a separate and co-equal department of presidency. We’re. Actually, the facility to declare conflict is solely given to Congress in Article I of the USA Structure. Now, the American individuals need Donald Trump and Republicans to really hold their promise and deal with driving down the excessive value of dwelling and fixing our damaged well being care system. It was Donald Trump, who promised, actually, that prices will go down on day one. Prices have not gone down. We’re within the midst of an affordability disaster that hasn’t been resolved. Maybe the president ought to deal with making life higher for the American individuals. Interval. Full cease.
ED O’KEEFE: I hear you on that. I need to remind our viewers of the present tick tock tight margins within the Home. You have to web at the least three seats to take the bulk at this level. I need to play for you a part of what you needed to say in regards to the 2026 elections if you had been requested this previous Thursday. Take a hear.
(BEGIN TAPE)
REP. JEFFRIES: We solely have to web three. It is occurring. Democrats are going to take again management of the Home, and the one query is, what is the margin?
(END TAPE)
ED O’KEEFE: Proper now, the Democratic Congressional Marketing campaign Committee considers 44 of the 435 seats within the Home in play, together with, you simply added 5 new ones this previous week, South Central Virginia, a district in South Carolina, southern Minnesota, central Colorado and the at-large seat in Montana. Elements of the nation the place Democrats do not usually win elections, we should always level out. So if the election had been held as we speak, at minimal, at minimal, what number of seats do you see Democrats profitable?
REP. JEFFRIES: Nicely, if the election had been held as we speak, we’re taking again management of the Home of Representatives, and I am not satisfied that it could essentially be shut. However these are battles which are going to be waged, district by district by district, we all know we’re profitable seats now in deep purple territory. We noticed that in Miami in December, the place we received the mayor’s race for the primary time in 30 years by 20 factors. After which in January, in fact, we flipped a seat within the Texas State Senate that Donald Trump had simply received by 17 factors. The Democratic candidate received it by 14. That was a 31 level over efficiency. After which simply final weekend in Louisiana, we flipped the Home seat that Trump had received by 14. We received that- or 13–
ED O’KEEFE: So that you received it–
REP. JEFFRIES: –by 24 factors. That was a 37 level over efficiency. My level is we’re profitable throughout the nation, in blue states and purple states and purple states, as a result of the American individuals know we’re the one ones targeted on driving down the excessive value of dwelling, fixing our damaged well being care system and ensuring that immigration enforcement is truthful and simply.
ED O’KEEFE: You have to get at the least three. Twenty to 25 seats, all 44 seats. What do you assume proper now? Give me a quantity.
REP. JEFFRIES: Nicely, I am not within the prediction enterprise. I am within the let’s win on behalf of the American individuals so we will finish this nationwide nightmare enterprise.
ED O’KEEFE: All proper. Chief Jeffries, to be continued on the shutdown and on the midterms. We recognize you spending a while with us this morning. We’ll speak to you quickly, and we’ll be proper again with much more Face the Nation. Stick with us.
