GEOFF BENNETT: For more on the vote# today ending the partial government## shutdown and the latest on the Epstein files,## I spoke earlier today with House Democratic# Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York.

Leader Jeffries, welcome back to the "News Hour."

REP.

HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-NY):# Thank you for having me on.

GEOFF BENNETT: More than 20 House# Democrats voted with Republicans## to reopen the government.

You# voted against the measure.

Why?

REP.

HAKEEM JEFFRIES: Well, what's clear to me is## that there needs to be dramatic change# at the Department of Homeland Security.

We supported the five bipartisan bills that# are now on their way to President Trump's desk## because they are actually designed# to promote the health, the safety,## and the economic well-being# of the American people.

Rosa DeLauro, top Democrat on the Appropriations# Committee, did a tremendous job in negotiating## those bills.

The American people don't want# to see their taxpayer dollars, however,## utilized to brutalize and kill American citizens.

Taxpayer dollars should actually be# used to make life more affordable for## everyday Americans.

And that's going to be the# genesis of the fight over the next 10 days as## we approach the funding deadline on February# 13 for the Department of Homeland Security.

GEOFF BENNETT: That's right.

We# should explain to folks who might## be unfamiliar this agreement kicks off# this 10-day sprint now for Democrats## and Republicans to agree on policy# changes for how ICE should operate.

What specific changes do you believe must## be addressed before Democrats# support longer-term funding?

REP.

HAKEEM JEFFRIES: Fundamentally, we# believe that ICE should conduct itself like## every other law enforcement agency in the country.

Police officers don't wear masks.

Sheriffs# don't wear masks.

State troopers don't wear## masks.

There's no justification for the manner# in which ICE is conducting itself in terms of## masks.

They should be required to have body# cameras.

They should be required to obtain## judicial warrants before they can rip everyday# Americans out of their homes or out of their cars.

We want to make clear there's an explicit# prohibition from ICE detaining or deporting## American citizens, which we have seen# examples of, unfortunately.

We believe that,## if ICE agents break the law, they should be# held accountable.

And those investigations## should be fair, complete and independent,# which also means giving state and local## authorities the ability to investigate# violations of state and local law.

GEOFF BENNETT: The DHS secretary, Kristi Noem,# said this week that DHS will deploy body cameras## to Minneapolis and other cities as funding allows# for those agents who are working in those cities.

Is that sufficient?

Is that# a good enough first step,## a sign that the administration# is at least open to changes?

REP.

HAKEEM JEFFRIES: Well, Kristi# Noem has zero credibility.

Certainly,## it is the case that body cameras# should be required.

And we also## know that the Department of Homeland# Security has more than enough funding.

In the one big, ugly bill, where Republicans# enacted the largest cut to Medicaid in American## history and at the same time stripped# away about $186 billion in support for## nutritional assistance, they literally stole# food from the mouths of hungry children,## seniors and veterans in order to# give the Department of Homeland## Security a $191 billion slush fund,# $75 billion of which went to ICE.

So the funding clearly exists for every# single ICE agent to have body cameras on## and functioning at all times.

And the fact# that Kristi Noem is suggesting that there## may be a funding shortfall indicates# further the lack of credibility that## she has.

She should be fired.

And if she's# not fired, I have indicated that the House## Democrats are prepared to initiate# impeachment proceedings against her.

GEOFF BENNETT: In the time that remains,# I want to ask you about the Epstein files,## because the Justice Department last# week released over three million pages## of Epstein-related documents.

Many of# them were heavily redacted.

There are## legislators who say that not all of the# relevant material has been disclosed.

In your view, did the DOJ comply with the# congressional intent and with the law in## the way that it has gone about# making these documents public?

REP.

HAKEEM JEFFRIES: The Department of# Justice continues to hide documents from## the American people in a manner that is# entirely inconsistent with the law that## was passed with huge bipartisan majorities# and, of course, signed by Donald Trump.

And the question has to once again be asked,## what are the Department of Justice lawyers# hiding from the American people and who## are they protecting?

There are more than three# million documents that have not been released.

And, as you indicated, several documents have# been heavily redacted.

And so the survivors of## the Epstein crime spree have boldly and# appropriately called for accountability## and transparency.

And the only way to achieve# that is to make sure that the Department of## Justice releases the Epstein files in their# entirety.

They have failed to do that today.

GEOFF BENNETT: Meantime, the Clintons have# agreed to testify in this Republican-led inquiry.

It's led by the House Oversight Committee# chairman, James Comer, as you well know.## This appears to be an effort by the GOP to make# the Clintons the face of this Epstein scandal,## the Epstein investigation.

The# question I have for you, though,## is about the precedent.

If Democrats win the# House come November, does this mean that future## investigations will apply the same standard to# presidents and political leaders of both parties?

REP.

HAKEEM JEFFRIES: Well, I think that the# Clintons have endeavored to enter into good-faith## negotiations with a Republican majority that is# clearly trying to create a political circus in## order to try to distract from the accountability# and lack of full transparency that the Trump## administration has been blocking since the# very beginning of this whole sordid matter.

And so, from our standpoint, I'm thankful# that it appears that we're now on a path## toward the Clintons reaching an agreement# with the House to provide their testimony.## But I don't believe that James Comer is a# serious individual or that he's seriously## trying to actually get information that then# can be presented to the American people as part## of what we're trying to accomplish here,# which is transparency and accountability.

He wants to politicize things.

He's targeting the# Clintons so he can distract from the fact that the## Trump administration is failing to comply with# the law, a law that Donald Trump himself signed.

GEOFF BENNETT: House Democratic Leader Hakeem# Jeffries, thanks again for your time this evening.

REP.

HAKEEM JEFFRIES: Thank you so much.