Dem Sen. Welch Says Compromise on ICE 'Very Hard' for Democrats

Vermont Senator cites Minneapolis incident as obstacle to reaching agreement with Trump administration

Mar. 21, 2026 at 3:26pm

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In an interview on C-SPAN's 'Ceasefire,' Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) stated that it is 'very hard' for Democrats to come to an agreement with the Trump administration on the issue of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), citing the 'tragedy' that occurred in Minneapolis. Welch said Democrats are willing to fund 'every single thing where we don't have any disagreement,' but the dispute over ICE is an impediment to reaching a compromise.

Why it matters

The ongoing debate over the role and policies of ICE has been a major point of contention between Democrats and the Trump administration. Welch's comments suggest the Democrats are unwilling to back down on their demands regarding ICE, even as the government shutdown continues to frustrate voters.

The details

In the interview, Welch said that while he can 'have a different point of view than President Trump on ICE,' the voters should decide 'whose position they prefer.' He stated that the disagreement over ICE should not prevent the government from reopening other areas where there is no dispute between the parties.

  • The interview took place on Friday, March 21, 2026 on C-SPAN's 'Ceasefire' program.

The players

Sen. Peter Welch

A Democratic senator from Vermont who was interviewed on C-SPAN regarding the ongoing government shutdown and disagreements over ICE policies.

President Trump

The Republican president whose administration is in dispute with Democrats over the role and policies of ICE.

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What they’re saying

“In all candor, with what has happened with ICE, I think it's very hard for us to come to some agreement, okay. But that should not impede us from being able to open up the whole rest of government.”

— Sen. Peter Welch, Democratic Senator from Vermont

The takeaway

The ongoing dispute over ICE policies continues to be a major obstacle in negotiations to end the government shutdown, with Democrats unwilling to compromise despite pressure from frustrated voters. The situation highlights the deep partisan divide on immigration issues and the challenges facing lawmakers in finding common ground.