{
  "id": 19627354,
  "title": "Democrats seek bipartisan action to curb Trump’s immigration drive",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/12/democrats-seek-bipartisan-action-to-curb-trumps-immigration-drive",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-12T08:28:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dawn",
    "slug": "dawn",
    "url": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2044028/democrats-seek-bipartisan-action-to-curb-trumps-immigration-drive"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Democratic lawmakers are pushing for a bipartisan immigration deal, seeking to alter President Donald Trump’s enforcement policies and address the legal status of long-settled immigrants. This call for action came as Democratic officials in various states and cities began limiting the role of their agencies in federal immigration operations. Representatives from both the House and Senate, including newly elected lawmakers, held a press conference outside the US Capitol. These officials, comprising progressive and centrist Democrats, stated that the recent election results provide an opportunity to reconsider an approach that has become politically challenging for Republicans. Veronica Escobar, representing Texas's El Paso district, emphasized the need for far-reaching reform, acknowledging that without Republican support, comprehensive legislation would not pass. \"As we continue to have Donald Trump in the White House, and without a supermajority in the Senate, we need Republican support,\" she stated.\n\nSenator Ruben Gallego of Arizona urged both parties to reach an agreement before the current congressional session ends or continue negotiations in the next one. Republicans had historically linked immigration reform to securing the border, he noted. \"We have that right now. We did the job. Now let’s figure out how to right-size our immigration issue. Let’s figure out how to keep families together,\" he said.\n\nRepresentative Sylvia Garcia of Texas proposed initiating the process with the Dream and Promise Act, suggesting that it could serve as a foundation for broader changes after Democrats take control of Congress in January. The Democrats' request for federal legislation came alongside efforts by Democratic state and local governments to reduce the involvement of their police and detention agencies in enforcing federal civil immigration rules. Houston Mayor John Whitmire issued an order restricting city police from contacting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) regarding administrative immigration warrants during routine traffic stops and minor, nonviolent offenses. Officers may still interact with ICE when individuals are booked into jail for a new offense carrying potential imprisonment and also possess an administrative immigration warrant. Whitmire consulted Texas’s newly elected governor, lieutenant governor, and comptroller before implementing the order, describing it as an attempt to alleviate concerns in immigrant communities and hoped for similar actions in other cities. He opposed a 2017 Texas law prohibiting sanctuary-city policies when he was a state senator. Houston's move follows significant Democratic victories in the state, such as Gina Hinojosa defeating Republican Governor Greg Abbott and James Talarico winning a Senate seat. Abbott had previously threatened to withhold over $110 million in public safety grants from Houston due to its limited cooperation with ICE. Austin and San Antonio are also reviewing their agreements with federal immigration authorities. Similar adjustments are being made in other states. Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger has directed state law-enforcement agencies to terminate their agreements with ICE under the 287(g) program, which permits local and state officers to perform specific immigration enforcement duties. Maryland Governor Wes Moore signed legislation ending formal 287(g) partnerships between ICE and state or local law-enforcement agencies, requiring nine sheriffs' offices to withdraw from their agreements. In New York, Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation mandating the cessation of existing arrangements involving local detention facilities and federal civil immigration detention by November 25. California continues to enforce its California Values Act, which curtails the use of local police resources for federal civil immigration enforcement. Democrats are expected to utilize their new congressional committee leadership in January to scrutinize the Department of Homeland Security, investigate enforcement practices and detention conditions, and seek testimony and records. However, a Democratic majority alone will not be sufficient to overturn the president's primary immigration policies. Trump can veto legislation, and Senate rules make it difficult to pass major measures without broader support. Despite conceding that his administration had been \"too tough\" on immigration in certain aspects, Trump's appointment of Stephen Miller, a key figure in the crackdown, to a senior White House position indicates that debate over how the administration handles immigration policy may persist, even as Trump maintains its fundamental objectives.",
  "summary": "WASHINGTON: Democratic lawmakers have called for a bipartisan immigration deal, seeking changes to President Donald Trump’s enforcement policies and legal status for long-settled immigrants. The appeal came as Democratic officials in several states and cities moved to limit their agencies’ role in federal immigration operations. Members of the House and Senate, including lawmakers elected last…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}