Springdale, Ark. – In the final stretch of the 2026 Senate race, Democratic nominee Hallie Shoffner, a farmer and political newcomer, has adjusted her position on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Earlier this summer, Shoffner told attendees at the Immigrant Heritage Month Business Expo that she would “defund ICE as it exists right now” and would not spend “one more dime” on the agency. She argued that ICE, now the largest law‑enforcement body in the nation, no longer serves its original purpose.
Shift to reform, not defund
After Sen. Tom Cotton, R‑Ark., aired attack ads highlighting Shoffner’s previous comments, the candidate posted on Facebook clarifying her stance. “I don’t want to defund ICE, I want to reform it,” Shoffner wrote, emphasizing that she supports changes to the agency’s policies while still funding its core mission.
Cotton seized on the earlier remarks, telling Fox News Digital that Shoffner’s former position would “protect criminals from deportation” and make Arkansas “more dangerous.” He linked the debate to recent criminal arrests in Carroll County involving illegal immigrant gang members, framing ICE funding as a public‑safety necessity.
Campaign dynamics in a red state
Arkansas has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since former Sen. Mark Pryor lost to Cotton in 2014. Shoffner’s campaign faces an uphill battle in a state that voted heavily for President Trump in 2024. The candidate also lacks the backing of the national Democratic establishment; Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has not endorsed her, and Shoffner has publicly distanced herself from Schumer’s “affordability” platform, saying Arkansans will give him “the side eye” because he does not understand local concerns.
Despite the lack of establishment support, Shoffner is attempting to appeal to moderate voters by softening her ICE position. She argues that reforming the agency can address both humanitarian concerns and the need for effective law enforcement along the border.
Local reaction
Local voters and community leaders have expressed mixed feelings. Some conservative‑leaning Arkansans view any suggestion of cutting ICE funding as a threat to public safety, while a handful of progressive groups in Little Rock and Fayetteville continue to push for stricter immigration enforcement reforms.
The race remains one of the most closely watched Senate contests in the Midwest and South, with both campaigns expected to intensify messaging on immigration, economic development, and family values as Election Day approaches.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
