MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
So what does accountability in the Department of Homeland Security's immigration enforcement program look like to the people who are holding up government funding to try to get it? We'll ask Representative Katherine Clark from Massachusetts. As minority whip, she is the No. 2 Democrat in the House of Representatives, and she is with us now. Good morning, Representative. Thanks for joining us.
KATHERINE CLARK: Good morning, Michel.
MARTIN: So before we get to the changes that Democrats like yourself want to see, we've just heard from Luke that the funding bill is on the table probably tomorrow. How is the Democratic leadership recommending lawmakers vote?
CLARK: We are having conversations with not only the American people in our districts but across our caucus to see where members are. But this is going to be a vote where members are going to make their own decision. But let me tell you this - Democrats are united that there has to be change, accountability and real reform at ICE. We have to stop the chaos in the streets, the threats to the security of the American people and law-abiding immigrants and make sure that there is investigations into the horrors that we have seen transpire in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
MARTIN: So I think what I hear you saying is you're not going to impose party discipline on this vote. Is that what you're saying?
CLARK: I am telling you the exact opposite. I'm telling you that there is discipline and unity of message. Now, whether those reforms are, you know, people vote that we need to see them now, and they're not willing to extend DHS budget another day, or whether they're willing to give two weeks to see if the Republicans can find something in them that is going to make them stand up to what we are seeing. Stand up to end this chaos and return security to American streets that Americans are demanding.
MARTIN: So House Speaker Mike Johnson was on "Meet The Press" yesterday. He said some of the Democrats' demands are reasonable to him. And - while he seemed to imply that others are a nonstarter. Let's just listen to a short clip of what he said.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "MEET THE PRESS")
MIKE JOHNSON: The masks, for example, the additional judicial requirement for a warrant would be a whole other layer of effectively bureaucracy. Remember, the immigration judges have already issued warrants, and that's what the ICE officials are acting upon.
MARTIN: What he's referring to there is a new ICE policy that says agents can enter people's homes without a judicial warrant, which legal advocates and even some previous DHS guidance said violates the Constitution. Obviously, you're not going to negotiate with me right here, but what reforms can you tell us are essential for you to approve any additional DHS funding?
CLARK: Well, let me tell you what Mike Johnson just said. He just called the Constitution of the United States an extra level of bureaucracy. Let that sink in. What kind of message is that to people that you are saying that despite the requirements of the Fourth Amendment that are clear and are the practice of law enforcement across this country, that Mike Johnson says ICE has an exception to that Constitution. That they can be both the fox guarding the henhouse, as a Texas judge just said, and give themselves warrants to go into your home. That is so outrageous and a violation of the oath that we all take as members of Congress to uphold the Constitution. So we are looking for them to end the chaos. People want secure borders. People want to know that we are deporting criminals. People do not want chaos in their streets. ICE needs to act like every other law enforcement agency.
MARTIN: So the judicial warrants is a bottom line for you - for you and other Democrats.
CLARK: Yes, of course it is.
MARTIN: And the body cameras...
CLARK: And removing masks...
MARTIN: ...And the masks.
CLARK: ...Wearing ID badges, stop storming houses of worship and hospitals and schools. And we want real independent investigations into the murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. We can't even get the Republicans to agree that they shouldn't be detaining and deporting American citizens. So it's time for Mike Johnson, if he is at all serious about protecting the American people, and he has shown us time and again that he is willing to take their health care, to sit by while prices continue to skyrocket because of tariffs, to do nothing to help bring down the costs of childcare and housing and utility bills. And now he is layering on that he is going to allow this chaos in our streets with this paramilitary force without guardrails, without accountability.
MARTIN: So last week, you released a joint statement with House Democratic leadership that said the Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem should, quote, "be fired immediately, or we will commence impeachment proceedings in the House of Representatives." The president was asked about this over the weekend, and he said that he thinks she's doing a fine job. That would indicate that you all, going forward, more than 180 of your fellow House Democrats have signed on as co-sponsor to Representative Robin Kelly's resolution to impeach Noem. What specifically would be the grounds?
CLARK: The grounds would be that she has allowed a part of DHS to let down the American people, to not focus on their security, but to allow ICE to become a tool of political retribution for this president. She named Renee Good a domestic terrorist within hours without investigation and is still refusing to do an investigation. The list of things that Kristi Noem has done to threaten the security of the American people is lengthy. And we are proceeding. We are going to be the voice of the American people in Congress who are demanding accountability. We are going to build our case. We will continue to hold town halls, investigative hearings. We will be listening and collecting evidence. And together with the American people, we will hold Kristi Noem and the GOP accountable for the abuses of this lawless administration.
MARTIN: Before we let you go - we only have about 30 seconds here - what confidence would you have that the president wouldn't immediately nominate somebody with the exact same policy and tactical perspective that she has?
CLARK: We will deal with that when we get there. But right now, we have to draw a line in the sand and say that Kristi Noem is not fit to be in charge of the security of the American people. DHS has a very important mission, and she has let the American people down and is increasing the chaos and the violence that we are seeing against people on our streets.
MARTIN: That is House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark of Massachusetts. Representative Clark, thank you for joining us.
CLARK: Thank you, Michel. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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