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Hakeem Sekou Jeffries is an American lawyer and politician currently serving as the U.S. Representative for New York's 8th congressional district, a position he has held since January 3, 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, Jeffries has been an influential figure in the House of Representatives, serving as the House Democratic Caucus Chair since 2019. He is known for his advocacy on issues such as criminal justice reform, healthcare, and economic equity.
★ Featured Quote
August 24, 2026
Democrats will not tolerate Republicans' "my-way-or-the-highway approach to governing that has failed the American people."
— Hakeem Jeffries
Throughout this Congress, Republicans have adopted a my-way-or-the-highway approach to governing that has failed the American people. To stop the madness, we have repeatedly made clear that an extremist approach will not work and will be…
To stop the madness, we have repeatedly made clear that an extremist approach will not work and will be met with forceful opposition.
In every conversation that we have with the Trump administration, we will continue to make it explicitly clear that the affordability crisis is not a hoax and nothing short of transformational policy change is acceptable.
The American people want bold change and that’s what House Democrats will deliver. In every conversation that we have with the Trump administration, we will continue to make it explicitly clear that the affordability crisis is not a hoax…
I think we'll see what happens in terms of what the caucus looks like on the other side of the midterm elections.
I don’t support the DSA agenda, as has been articulated by the DSA itself.
What I’m excited about are the candidates who are running to flip seats in November, to deliver us a majority that pushes back against Donald Trump’s extremism and moves the country in the right direction.
Well, what I can say is that I do not support defunding the police. I do not support open borders. I do support abolishing the Senate.
Well, listen, I don’t support the DSA agenda as has been articulated by the DSA itself.
The behavior that ICE is engaging in is inconsistent with our values and what America should represent."
Delaney Hall needs to be shut down," Jeffries said. "That will remain a high priority for us until it takes place."
President Biden has done a very good job under incredibly difficult circumstances.
Three deaths at Delaney Hall — completely and totally unacceptable. Fifty-five deaths in ICE custody since the beginning of Donald Trump’s time in office, over the last 17 months or so. That means one death in ICE custody every six days…
We are acting decisively. But I think we do have to crystallize the differences between what we're about and what Republicans are all about.
We don't have to recalibrate our message. We've been opposed to Donald Trump's reckless and costly war of choice in the Middle East from the very beginning.
When you put us back in charge of the United States House of Representatives, you’ll get a Congress that speaks up for everyday Americans and a Congress that stands up to an out-of-control president.
Hakeem Jeffries has said Trump’s Republican party has “nothing to run on” for the congressional midterm elections, after the president broke promises to lower costs and avoid starting war overseas.
It was Donald Trump … who said that he was elected not to start wars, endless wars in the Middle East, but to stop them – and then turned around and has gotten us involved in this reckless war of choice in Iran that has skyrocketed gas…
Politicians like Hakeem Jeffries
