Nia-Malika Henderson, Columnist

Democrats Finally Have Some Leverage Over ICE Funding

February 5, 2026 at 12:00 PM UTC

Nia-Malika Henderson is a politics and policy columnist for Bloomberg Opinion. A former senior political reporter for CNN and the Washington Post, she has covered politics and campaigns for almost two decades.

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After two Americans were killed by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, President Donald Trump signaled a shift in tone. This week, with negotiations between Democrats and Trump over funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), will test how much he also wants a substantive shift in tactics.

Trump is caught between his hardline base and an American public that is souring on his chaotic, militarized mass deportation effort. There are some signals that he is looking to strike a balance, a tricky move that could ultimately be politically effective. To that end, Border Czar Tom Homan announced Wednesday that 700 agents would leave Minneapolis immediately, with the goal of a complete withdrawal soon. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem also announced that every federal immigration officer in Minneapolis will be issued a body camera.