The Powers That Be: Daily Minnesota’s ICE Melt
13 snips
Jan 28, 2026 Abby Livingston, Capitol Hill and state politics reporter, unpacks Minnesota’s ICE enforcement furor and the push by Senate Democrats to tie DHS funding to reforms. She also walks through Virginia governor Abigail Spanberger’s early maneuvers, the backlash she faces, and the high-stakes redistricting debates playing out in Richmond.
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DHS Funding As Leverage
- Democrats see DHS funding as the key leverage to force ICE accountability and may risk a shutdown to get reforms.
- Abby Livingston says the momentum for using appropriations as leverage increased sharply after the videos and killings.
Senate GOP Pushback Raises Stakes
- Senate Republicans are resisting uncoupling DHS from other spending bills, complicating Democrats' shutdown leverage.
- Abby Livingston says GOP pushback and internal Republican criticism of ICE make this a politically treacherous moment.
Video Footage Changed The Politics
- Viral videos shifted public opinion sharply against ICE and Kristi Noem, creating rare bipartisan criticism of the administration's handling.
- Peter Hamby notes polling showing only about 20% think Alex Preddy's killing was justified, intensifying pressure.