The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has adopted divergent positions on the future of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), approving measures that simultaneously call for the agency's abolition and its reform. The decisions, made during a summer meeting in Austin, Texas, highlight ongoing internal party disagreements on immigration policy, even as Democrats express a united opposition to President Donald Trump's immigration enforcement actions.
The DNC's votes are not binding for the party's official platform, which will be finalized at the 2028 convention. However, they reflect the varying views within the party on a significant issue that continues to be a focus for progressive activists and candidates.
Michele Johnson, a DNC member from Louisiana, proposed the measure to abolish ICE, drawing a parallel to the dissolution of the agency's predecessor, the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Johnson argued for the party to take a definitive stance, stating, "I think one of the reasons why people are not trusting the party is because we sound so academic... We sound focus group tested, we sound poll tested because we’re worried about saying the wrong thing or doing the wrong thing and not just like, just stand on business, like take a position."
Conversely, Yvonne Reeves-Chong, another DNC member, voted against the abolition measure. She expressed concern that such a position might alienate a broader segment of voters, emphasizing the need to focus on winning elections to enact policy changes. "I would strongly suggest we get to the business of winning races so we can make the policies that make a difference," she stated.
DNC Chairman Ken Martin acknowledged that the core takeaway from the meeting is a shared Democratic belief that the current immigration enforcement practices by ICE, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the federal government are unacceptable. "Clearly, the one thing that unites Democrats, regardless of their position on reform versus abolish or whatever other ways to change what’s happening, is people believe that what ICE is doing right now — and CBP and the federal government — should stop," Martin said. "There has to be a better way."
The handling of immigration has been a prominent issue for the Trump administration. A poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research indicated that immigration remained a stronger issue for Trump than the economy or foreign policy concerns, despite fluctuations in public approval of his performance on the issue. The survey found that 39% of U.S. adults approved of his immigration performance, a decrease from 49% at the beginning of his second term. This sentiment persists even after recent incidents, including three fatal encounters involving ICE agents in less than a week during July.