In the fight over Department of Homeland Security funding, Democrats have, for the first time under the second Trump administration, put both the White House and congressional Republicans on defense in the immigration battle.

Their strongest argument for restricting Immigration and Customs Enforcement is simple and superficially appealing: require the agency to obtain “judicial warrants” before arresting illegal immigrants. To most Americans, it sounds eminently reasonable: Deport the dangerous ones, but subject ICE to independent judicial review.