Lankford Slams Democrats' 'Absurd' ICE Polling Demands in DHS Shutdown Feud

Oklahoma senator says Democrats' requests, like banning ICE from polling places, are hindering DHS funding negotiations.

Mar. 29, 2026 at 7:38pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A dynamic, abstract painting in red, white, and blue hues, with overlapping geometric shapes and fragmented lines conveying the chaotic political negotiations over DHS funding and the competing demands that are hindering bipartisan compromise.The partisan battle over immigration policy is fracturing efforts to restore full funding for the Department of Homeland Security.NYC Today

Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) criticized Democrats for making what he called 'absurd' demands in the ongoing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding negotiations, including a request that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents be prohibited from going to polling places. Lankford said these demands from Democrats are making it 'very difficult' to reach a deal to reopen DHS, which has been partially shut down for weeks.

Why it matters

The DHS shutdown is impacting critical government functions like airport security and cybersecurity, and partisan disagreements over immigration enforcement are complicating efforts to restore full funding. Lankford's comments highlight the political tensions around immigration policy that are hindering bipartisan cooperation on homeland security issues.

The details

Lankford said Democrats were demanding that ICE agents not be allowed at polling places, arguing that 'if you're not legally present, you shouldn't be voting in America.' Democrats also wanted body cameras on ICE agents, but with restrictions that the footage could only be used to prosecute the agents themselves, not anyone else. Lankford said Republicans were willing to fund body cameras but objected to these limitations. The senator added that Republicans want to reopen DHS but are frustrated by the Democrats' 'absurd' requests.

  • The House of Representatives rejected a Senate deal to reopen DHS on March 29, 2026.
  • The DHS shutdown has been ongoing for several weeks.

The players

James Lankford

A Republican senator from Oklahoma who is criticizing Democrats' demands in the DHS funding negotiations.

Chuck Schumer

The Senate Minority Leader, who said the Democratic caucus 'held the line' on the deal to fund DHS through May 22 without additional funding for ICE and border security.

Kristen Welker

The NBC News anchor who interviewed Lankford on Meet the Press.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“What Democrats were asking for for ICE and CBP on their quote-unquote reforms were absolutely absurd. They asked for things, for instance, like ICE could not be at polling places. Well, if you're not legally present, you shouldn't be voting in America, but Democrats were demanding that ICE agents would not go to a polling place.”

— James Lankford, Senator

“They were demanding body-worn cameras, which we were fine with and said, 'Yes, absolutely, let's add funding for body worn cameras.' Then they brought back language and said, 'Well, the body-worn cameras can only be the footage – can only be used to prosecute agents. They can't be used to prosecute anyone else on the film, that is anyone else that would actually be not legally be present in the country.'”

— James Lankford, Senator

What’s next

The Senate will continue negotiations with the House to try to reach a deal to reopen the Department of Homeland Security, which has been partially shut down for several weeks.

The takeaway

The partisan divide over immigration policy is complicating efforts to restore full funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which is critical for national security functions like airport security and cybersecurity. The inability of lawmakers to compromise on these issues is putting public safety at risk.