As part of negotiations to reopen the Department of Homeland Security, Donald Trump’s aides have promised not to “deport citizens.” Trump is using this as a shutdown concession, even though federal immigration law already forbids deporting US citizens.
This latest offer from the White House was laid out in a March 17 letter, sent as part of negotiations to reopen the Department of Homeland Security. In the letter, Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, and White House legislative affairs director, James Braid, revealed five alleged administration “improvements.”
Among these supposed improvements are the wider use of body cameras, greater oversight of detention, limits on civil immigration actions at sensitive locations, visible officer identification, and a promise to comply with existing law by not deporting any US citizens.
The letter was first reported by Punchbowl, and also states that the administration will codify a policy of not knowingly detaining a US citizen, unless the citizen is otherwise facing arrest under state or federal law.
Meanwhile, under US federal law, persons that are “deportable” are listed as “aliens” while removal proceedings decide the deportability or inadmissibility of an “alien.” The Supreme Court had already stated in 1922 that the power to deport only applies to aliens and not US citizens. However, it does recognize that citizenship claims feature serious due process implications.
Basically, the government cannot lawfully deport a US citizen via the immigration system, unless the person’s citizenship is first invalidated. Meanwhile, the Trump administration’s promise not to deport citizens, clashes with its own record of deporting, detaining or even killing its own citizen.
Meanwhile, it was previously reported in January on the killing of Renee Nicole Good, 37, an unarmed mom, and VA nurse Alex Pretti, 37, by DHS agents in Minneapolis. In the same month, Chongly “Scott” Thao, 56, a naturalized US citizen in Minnesota, who was dragged from his home wearing boxer shorts and Crocs in snowy weather during an immigration raid.
Following the deaths of Good and Pretti, Democrats demand judicial warrants for home entries, a ban on masks worn by ICE agents, and stricter limits on raids at hospitals, religious sites and schools. However, the offer from the White House doesn’t meet these core demands Operation Metro Surge.
They want judicial warrants for home entries, a ban on masks for agents, and stricter limits on raids at schools, hospitals, and religious sites. According to the Washington Post’s accounts of the talks, the White House’s offer does not meet those core demands.
Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has warned that Senate Democrats will reject the extension of Trump’s latest tariffs, as the Supreme Court previously struck down his tariffs on Friday.
Moreover, the shutdown has already been more than four weeks, with TSA workers missing a full paycheck on Friday. In the meantime, over 300 TSA employees have resigned, causing airport delays. Reportedly, over 100,000 DHS employees are also working without pay.
The shutdown itself has already dragged on for more than four weeks. TSA workers missed a full paycheck last Friday, more than 300 TSA employees have quit, and airport delays have spread as absences climbed. More than 100,000 DHS employees are working without pay.
“The Democrat’s purposeful DHS SHUTDOWN is causing chaos at the airports. These Lunatics are being totally unreasonable in their Radical Left asks. They are FULLY TO BLAME, & must pay a big price, for the good of our Country, in the Midterm Elections. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” pic.twitter.com/H25KZPXNKr
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 18, 2026
In the meantime, Trump tried to use the disruption on Wednesday as political leverage. The president posted on Truth Social that “DHS SHUTDOWN is causing chaos at the airports” while he blamed Democrats for being “totally unreasonable” in their demands. Moreover, he insisted that they were “FULLY TO BLAME” and “must pay a big price” in the midterms.
According to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Democrats are “trying to move a little bit,” but added that Trump, 79, and his White House must “get serious.”
