Now that former President Joe Biden is gone, Democrats are in desperate search of a winning message — and a leader.
And nowhere is that dilemma more evident than the internal Democratic debate over immigration, which is roiling the party as President Donald Trump launches a wave of immigration-related executive orders that could dramatically reshape the country. The conundrum is especially acute for House Democrats.
During a weekly meeting with House Democratic chiefs of staff on Tuesday, an aide for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries played a recent clip of the New York Democrat being asked on NBC’s “Meet the Press” whether he’d support funding Trump’s mass deportation plans.
Jeffries responded by saying Democrats want to focus on bringing down the cost of living and hit Republicans for their lack of an agenda on that issue. In a follow-up question about Trump’s deportation plans, Jeffries said, “The administration needs to focus on the removal of violent felons.”
The intent of showing the clip, according to sources close to Jeffries, was to demonstrate how House Democrats should try to work in their economic messaging ahead of the upcoming reconciliation fight with Republicans. But some Democratic aides in the room zeroed in on what Jeffries said — or didn’t say — about immigration.
What then unfolded was an intense discussion about whether House Democratic leaders are delivering a strong enough message about Trump’s immigration crackdown, according to multiple sources. Several chiefs of staff, particularly from the progressive wing of the caucus, expressed frustration that they have immigrants in their districts terrified of Trump’s initiatives and don’t have any clear guidance to give them.
Jeffries’ office vowed to distribute all the materials and resources that offices needed and also kicked off the meeting with a recognition that many communities will be impacted by Trump’s actions.
Other tension points. There was also some anxiety over an upcoming weekly call, led by Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.), with district directors. Some aides were surprised that this week’s agenda is about Black History Month — not immigration or other priorities — during the first week of the Trump administration. Neguse told us he wasn’t aware of any complaints and is planning to hold an immigration-focused meeting as soon as next week.
Meanwhile, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus is also grappling with how to deal with their top issue. Sources close to the caucus said CHC Chair Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) wants his members to move to the middle on immigration.
The caucus is planning a Thursday news conference where frontline members like Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) will talk about being a border representative and winning in districts that Trump carried.
“We’re looking at the messaging right now,” Espaillat told us. “The birthright citizenship [order] is unconstitutional. The other executive orders, we’re going to be looking at each and every one of them.”
Espaillat added that he’s talked with Jeffries about meeting with the group soon.
Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.) said the topic of how to handle immigration and border security will likely dominate the Democratic Caucus’ weekly meeting this morning.
Jeffries’ tough spot. Republicans plan to keep bringing up immigration-related bills even as Trump’s efforts ramp up. Two Blue Dog Democrats have already signed onto a House GOP bill to permanently reinstate Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” policy.
The problem for Democrats is two-fold. Trump’s hardline approach to immigration is popular, including deporting migrants, although Americans are still queasy when it comes to large-scale efforts that involve a heavy-handed government approach.
Secondly, with Biden and Kamala Harris no longer in power, Democrats lack a leader. Members are asking themselves whether it’s former President Barack Obama, a Democratic governor, Jeffries, Harris or someone else.
One thing is clear. Jeffries isn’t former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and this isn’t 2017, when House Democrats and the party base were united in resisting Trump.
House Democratic leaders opted not to whip against the Laken Riley Act, which ended up getting 48 Democratic votes. A revised Senate version will come back up for a final House vote today before it heads to Trump’s desk. Some Democrats wish Jeffries had taken a tougher stance against the bill, which allows ICE to take custody of migrants accused of certain crimes.
But Jeffries likely would have gotten flack from Frontliners if he’d pressured members to vote no. In one of the first Democratic caucus meetings after the bruising November election, Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas), who represents a competitive district along the southern border, warned Democratic leaders not to tell him how to vote, according to a source familiar with the interaction.
So far, Jeffries seems to be walking a very careful line. He’s made clear to members that they need to be able to vote their districts. Yet Jeffries is also counseling them not to take the Republican bait.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who has been very outspoken on this issue, says House Democrats need to take the lead for the party since they have the best chance of winning back power in 2026. That puts Jeffries in the spotlight.
“This is where the action is. This is where the margin is tightest. This is where we’re within striking distance of winning the majority back,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “That would mean our leader and our leadership here.”
Ocasio-Cortez added: “Being a spokesperson for the party and leading the party are different things.”