LIVE: House's Hakeem Jeffries holds a briefing in Washington

Republicans prioritize shutdown over reform

Jeffries stated Republicans chose to shut down FEMA, TSA, and the Coast Guard for five days rather than address what he called a 'rogue' ICE agency that brutalizes American citizens and immigrant families.

Judicial warrant requirement

Democrats demand that ICE agents be required to obtain judicial warrants before entering private property or removing individuals from their homes.

Accountability and transparency mandates

Reforms include mandatory body cameras, agents identifying themselves, removal of masks, independent investigations into misconduct, and restoration of prohibitions against excessive force.

Protected sensitive locations

ICE operations must be prohibited in sensitive locations including schools, hospitals, houses of worship, and polling sites.

Democrats weigh silent defiance vs. boycott

The caucus is considering either attending the address with 'silent defiance' or not attending and participating in alternate programming to send a message to the President.

Jeffries plans to attend

The Minority Leader confirmed he will attend the speech, stating, 'you don't let anyone ever run you off of your block,' emphasizing that Trump is coming to the House, which is 'our house.'

Security concerns during shutdown

Jeffries noted the irony and challenge of hosting a high-profile security event requiring Secret Service protection while Republicans have shut down the Department of Homeland Security.

Push for congressional map vote

Jeffries met with Maryland Governor Wes Moore, House Speaker Adrienne Jones, and Senate President Bill Ferguson to advocate for a vote on a competitive congressional redistricting map.

Senate President undecided

While Governor Moore supports holding a vote, Senate President Ferguson has only committed to discussing the matter with his members and has not agreed to schedule a vote before Tuesday's filing deadline.

Housing affordability failures

Jeffries criticized Republicans for failing to lower housing costs despite campaign promises, noting that prices have risen and Trump has taken no action while threatening tariffs that increase construction costs.

Tariff impact on families

He argued that Trump's tariffs are causing Americans to pay thousands of dollars more annually for groceries and goods, directly contradicting promises to lower the cost of living on day one.