Podcast Summary: The Daily

Episode: “‘Thugs’: The Moderate Democrat Railing Against ICE”

Date: February 19, 2026
Host: Michael Barbaro
Guest: Senator Catherine Cortez Masto

Overview

This episode centers on Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, a self-described moderate Democrat and former law enforcement official, who has emerged as a leading voice pushing for a dramatic change in how the federal government—specifically the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)—carries out immigration enforcement. Amid an unprecedented government shutdown targeting DHS funding, Senator Cortez Masto discusses her transformation on immigration enforcement, the rationale and risks behind the shutdown strategy, and her vision for reform.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Shutdown and Senator Cortez Masto’s Role

[00:54–03:16]

• Barbaro notes that shutdowns are usually led by “firebrands,” but Cortez Masto is a moderate.
• Cortez Masto: “I’m a moderate. To me, the moderates are people who are working to get things done... But they also know there are times... to pick that fight.” (02:22)
• She opposes unnecessary shutdowns, but feels compelled to act when basic norms are threatened.

2. Law Enforcement Background Shapes Her Stance

[04:46–07:07]

• Cortez Masto shares her deep law enforcement background: former federal prosecutor and Nevada Attorney General; husband was a Secret Service agent.
• She expresses strong support for community policing and public trust, saying law enforcement “want[s] to go after the violent criminals... but you also want to protect individuals constitutional rights.” (06:24)
• Funding changes allowed ICE to expand rapidly without sufficient training, reducing its adherence to standard procedures: “No strings attached. And what we are seeing now is... they started onboarding whoever they could to work at ICE…decreased the training.” (07:20)

3. The Crisis: Out-of-Control Immigration Enforcement

[07:55–11:36]

• Large-scale ICE operations shifted to “roving patrols” and “excessive force” in local communities.
• Specific examples from Nevada: ICE agents wore masks, ignored warrants, and followed people home from church; families of local law enforcement officers were targeted because of immigration status.
  • “They are just roving patrols...not even knocking half the time. They're going in without a judicial warrant. They're pulling people out of their cars…Following people home from church.” (09:00–09:21)
  • “They actually went after some of my local law enforcement police officers, went after their families… threatening the careers of these law enforcement officers.” (09:39)
• She calls DHS actions “much more heinous” and condemns them for “violating the First Amendment, the Second Amendment, the Fourth Amendment, the Fifth Amendment, the tenth Amendment of our Constitution.” (11:01)

4. The Legislative Response

[12:04–13:03]

• Cortez Masto introduced a bill to redirect ICE funding to local/state law enforcement who “are trained to work in our communities, who know how to manage a protest or even pull somebody over in the car without violating their constitutional rights.” (12:04)
• Republicans rejected her proposal, prompting Democrats to withhold DHS funding, tying its release to specific reforms:
  • Agents must have warrants for arrests/raids.
  • No masks; IDs must be visible.
  • Same “common sense” standards as local law enforcement.
• “A lot of the policies and protocols that we had developed...were just common sense policies that our local law enforcement and state officers were already doing…” (14:06)

5. The High Stakes of the Shutdown

[15:23–16:25]

• Barbaro questions the risks: airport security, TSA, Coast Guard, and more could be affected.
• Cortez Masto asserts that “If we do not stand up against this lawlessness... then what is left for us?...This administration is using this police force to do its bidding.” (15:23)
• She warns that such forces may be used to disrupt elections: “Absolutely. It's the logical conclusion.” (15:23)

6. Political Messaging and Moderates’ Approach

[18:29–28:27]

• Cortez Masto admits Democrats have looked “weak on immigration” but believes in doing both: securing borders and treating people with respect.
  • “We can do both. We can secure our borders...and at the same time have an immigration process that treats people with respect, who want to come to this country.” (19:01–20:20)
• Clarifies: “We are not saying completely defund ICE…Just fund them to the level they traditionally were…” (20:44)
• She emphasizes most Americans—and especially swing state moderates—want effective, non-abusive ICE focused on “the worst of the worst, the most violent” but also want to see rules followed.
  • “They want safe communities. But they also are demanding…They don’t like the over excessive abuse of ICE. They want ICE to focus on the violent criminals…” (24:27)
• Winning public opinion—even without immediate policy wins—matters: “Whether we win the policy debate or we win the messaging war…do we win as a country? Do we win when we say no more to this administration, sending these thugs into our communities?” (28:27)

7. Deep Distrust of the Administration

[28:54–30:35]

• Even if reforms are agreed, can the administration (and ICE) be trusted to follow through?
• “I think the problem here is a lot bigger... We have seen in the past a lack of trust from this administration. They say one thing and do another…This administration thrives on chaos and uncertainty and constantly moving the goalposts.” (29:44–30:35)

8. How Will the Shutdown End?

[30:35–31:12]

• There’s “no clear pathway” out unless demands for change are met.
• “We cannot see another community being brutalized by these lawless ICE agents and CBP under this administration.” (30:42)

9. The Democratic Strategy and Stakes

[31:28–32:38]

• Democratic leaders blame Trump and GOP for prolonging shutdown.
  • Cortez Masto during a press conference: “We have no idea where [the GOP] is at in the midst of a crisis of their own making.” (31:41)
  • Hakeem Jeffries: “ICE needs to be reformed in a dramatic, bold, meaningful and transformational manner. And if that doesn’t happen, the DHS funding bill will not move forward.” (32:16)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I’m a moderate...But they also know there are times and I think it’s okay to be out there and pick that fight and say, no, this is a battle I’m going to be very vocal about.”
  —Cortez Masto, 02:22

• “They are just roving patrols...not even knocking half the time. They’re going in without a judicial warrant...Following people home from church in my state.”
  —Cortez Masto, 09:00–09:24

• “They are detaining and deporting US Citizens. They are using their administrative warrants to go into people's private properties. They have violated the First Amendment, ...the tenth Amendment of our Constitution.”
  —Cortez Masto, 11:01

• “Let's take it away. Let’s divert it to local law enforcement and state law enforcement who are trained to work in our communities...It’s just common sense.”
  —Cortez Masto, 12:04–12:30

• “If we do not stand up against this lawlessness that we see this administration engaging in in our communities, then what is left for us?”
  —Cortez Masto, 15:23

• “We can do both. We can secure our borders....and at the same time have an immigration process that treats people with respect…”
  —Cortez Masto, 19:01–20:20

• “Whether we win the policy debate or we win the messaging war…do we win as a country? Do we win when we say no more to this administration, sending these thugs into our communities?”
  —Cortez Masto, 28:27

• “ICE needs to be reformed in a dramatic, bold, meaningful and transformational manner. And if that doesn’t happen, the DHS funding bill will not move forward.”
  —Hakeem Jeffries, 32:16

Important Timestamps

• [00:54] Moderates and shutdown leadership
• [06:05] Cortez Masto’s law enforcement background
• [09:00–09:24] Accounts of ICE actions in Nevada
• [11:01] Constitutional violations alleged
• [12:04–13:03] Legislative proposal to redirect ICE funds
• [15:23] The stakes of the shutdown
• [19:01–20:20] Democrats’ immigration dilemma
• [24:27] Polling and the “Mod squad” strategy
• [28:27] On winning public opinion if not policy change
• [30:42] Prospect for ending the shutdown
• [32:16] Democratic demands for ICE reform

Tone and Language

Cortez Masto is clear, insistent, and passionate—but measured—throughout the conversation. She grounds her arguments in her law enforcement background and community ties, using vivid, direct language (“thugs,” “lawlessness,” “heinous”) to describe ICE operations she opposes. The host, Barbaro, maintains a probing yet neutral tone, seeking clarity, context, and the implications of her position for the broader Democratic Party and the country as a whole.

Summary

Senator Cortez Masto stands out as a moderate Democrat taking a hardline stand against what she views as unchecked, abusive immigration enforcement under the Trump administration. She frames the current DHS shutdown not as a reckless maneuver, but as a last resort—a defense of constitutional norms, community safety, and the traditional values of law enforcement. While she acknowledges the risks (including political backlash and real-world disruption), she insists that winning the public argument and reasserting congressional oversight is vital, even if policy changes are not won immediately. Central to her approach is a blend of law-and-order pragmatism and moral clarity, responding to the swing-voter anxieties that, in her view, will determine the country’s direction on immigration and the rule of law.