On Tuesday’s broadcast of CNN’s “The Source,” Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) responded to a question over whether she would support shutting down the government over ICE funding.
She said, “I can’t see any way that I could provide more funding to an agency that is completely out of control.” But she wants to see bipartisan standards for the agency.
Host Kaitlan Collins asked, “Would you be willing to shut the government down when it comes to ICE funding, like some of your Democratic colleagues have suggested?”
Smith answered, “Well, listen, what I have said is that I can’t see any way that I could provide more funding to an agency that is completely out of control.
“I’d like to see Democrats and Republicans come together and say, let’s establish at least some standards here that ICE agents would need to not wear masks, that they need to have basic training.
“I believe that this is the role and responsibility of Congress to exercise oversight and discipline over what is happening here. So, I am looking to people on both sides of the aisle to try to bring some sanity to what’s happening in my home state.”
Tina Smith refuses to answer if she’d support another Democrat shutdown over defunding ICE.
CNN: Would you be willing to shut the government down?
SMITH: “Listen, what I have said is that I can’t see any way that I could provide more funding to an agency…”
(She would) pic.twitter.com/iyL5LY1Ubw
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 14, 2026
Opinion
It’s infuriating that Democrats encourage and protect criminals in sanctuaries, and then allow militants to violently impede ICE.
The only standards needed are for Democrats to abandon their support of radicals obstructing justice. They are creating chaos and dangerous situations. They have helped caused the death of Renee Good.
She knows ICE has to wear masks for their safety from the militarized radicals who dox them and torment their families.
Democrats are out of control.
How are voters feeling about Democrats?
CNN: "Democrats, in the minds of the American public, are lower than the Dead Sea." pic.twitter.com/XHjWQNyzf0
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) December 18, 2025
Shutting down the government to keep violent criminal illegals in the US to continue victimizing innocent US citizens is even more traitorous than shutting down the government trying to keep giving these same violent criminals free medical care. Democrats and anybody else doing this prove they will throw US citizens and legal immigrants under the bus in favor of these… Read more »
These are low quality people. They cannot justify their positions with reasoning, such as the law, so they complain about masks. Congress wants to fix ICE procedures? Congress cannot even follow the law and pass an annual budget, or keep the government open. They do illegal insider trading.
so none of the “protesters” can wear masks either, she/they wouldn’t like that, would they