Sen. John Barrasso sharply criticized Senate Democrats over what he described as an expanding and dangerous list of demands tied to funding the Department of Homeland Security, arguing the conditions would weaken immigration enforcement, defund key security agencies, and put American communities at greater risk.

“Last night, the minority leader came out with a list, a new list of demands designed to protect illegal immigrant criminals,” Barrasso said.

“Just a few minutes ago, the minor leader has said that he has 10 demands. Last week, he had three. Now he says he has 10. I read the fine print. It looks to me that this ballooning list is now up to 23 demands.”

Barrasso rejected claims that Republicans are exaggerating the scope of the demands.

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“The minority leader just said Republicans are calling the demands political,” he said.

“Well, I see them as radical and extreme.”

Barrasso said the issue at stake is national security and public safety, not partisan leverage.

“This is about funding the Department of Homeland Security for our nation, keeping our nation safe,” he said.

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“I’ll tell you why they’re extreme, because they prioritize the safety of illegal immigrant criminals over the safety and security of the American people.”

He warned Democrats are miscalculating their ability to pressure Republicans by threatening funding.

“Now the Minority Leader might think that he has leverage to defund law enforcement. He's wrong,” Barrasso said.

“Border Patrol is funded, Immigration and Customs Enforcement is funded.”

Barrasso said the broader consequences of the demands would be severe, including disruptions to national security agencies.

“What is reckless here from this far left wish list, it's closing the Federal Emergency Management Agency, closing them down, Coast Guard working without pay, TSA agents working without pay, making our nation more vulnerable to cyber attacks,” he said.

“Those are all things that are funded by the Department of Homeland Security.”

A central concern, Barrasso said, is a Democratic proposal to change immigration enforcement warrant procedures.

“When Democrats say they want to, quote, improve warrant procedures and standards, sounds nice,” Barrasso said.

“What Democrats won't tell you is the people that benefit from that are criminals.”

He warned the change would effectively end immigration enforcement.

“If Immigration and Customs Enforcement is forced to use what are called judicial warrants for each and every immigration arrest, America will become a sanctuary country,” Barrasso said.

“Not just a bunch of sanctuary cities… an entire sanctuary country.”

Barrasso said administrative warrants have been lawful and constitutional for decades.

“Federal immigration officials have used administrative warrants for decades,” he said.

“The Supreme Court upheld their constitutionality in 1960… Federal Circuit Courts have reaffirmed their use in decade after decade after decade.”

He accused Democrats of pursuing an agenda to dismantle enforcement altogether.

“Democrats want to abolish ICE,” Barrasso said.

“They want to abolish borders. They want to turn America into a sanctuary country for illegal immigrants, and specifically for illegal immigrant criminals.”

Barrasso pointed to the growing number of individuals already ordered removed by immigration courts.

“Today, more than 1 million illegal immigrants have received from the courts a final court order for removal,” he said.

“Democrats want every single one of them to stay in our communities… forever.”

He emphasized that those individuals have already received due process.

“You’ve received due process, you exhausted every possible appeal,” Barrasso said.

“After a fair and thorough process, a judge has affirmed you may not stay in this country any longer… It is time for you to go.”

Barrasso cited specific crimes involving illegal immigrants released in sanctuary jurisdictions as evidence of the consequences.

“In Georgia, Lake and Riley, a 22 year old nursing student, she was murdered by an illegal immigrant,” he said.

“Had her killer been in custody, Laken Riley would still be alive today.”

He also referenced a fatal crash in North Carolina involving an illegal immigrant with a lengthy criminal record whose charges had been dismissed.

“Because of Governor Cooper's reckless vetoes, parents had to bury their teenage children,” Barrasso said.

Barrasso said Republicans are acting to prevent similar tragedies.

“That’s exactly why Republicans passed the Lincoln Riley act,” he said.

“Because of that law, the Department of Homeland Security has detained an additional 20,000 illegal immigrants who otherwise would have been released back into our communities.”

He concluded by rejecting Democratic demands tied to DHS funding.

“Senate Republicans will not accept changes that make our communities less safe,” Barrasso said.

“Republicans are going to continue to stand on the side of safer and more secure communities.”

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