Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Jan 29: A sharp political confrontation over funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) intensified in the US Senate, with Republicans warning that Democratic resistance could trigger a government shutdown, while Democrats demanded sweeping changes to immigration enforcement agencies following recent deadly incidents.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said on Wednesday (local time) that Republicans were prepared to move forward with a six-bill spending package that has already passed the House with bipartisan backing. According to Thune, progress has stalled because Democrats are opposing the DHS funding measure.
“We need to fund the government,” Thune told reporters after a closed-door Republican policy meeting, adding that the Senate could pass the package and send it to the President, completing all 12 annual appropriations bills.
Thune argued that Democratic objections were unfounded, noting that the DHS proposal would allocate less funding to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) than a temporary continuing resolution. He also said the bill incorporated Democratic priorities, including nearly $20 million for body cameras and funding for de-escalation training.
Warning against brinkmanship, Thune said even a partial shutdown would disrupt critical agencies, including FEMA, the TSA, the Coast Guard, and federal cybersecurity operations. “A government shutdown is not in anybody’s interest,” he said.
Senator John Barrasso echoed the concern, accusing Democrats of once again threatening a shutdown. He said a funding lapse would halt FEMA operations as severe weather impacts large parts of the country and could disrupt air travel and security due to effects on TSA and air traffic control.
Democrats, however, placed responsibility squarely on Republicans and the Trump administration. Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer said recent killings linked to DHS personnel underscored the urgent need for reform.
“What the American people are seeing right now is chaos created at the top,” Schumer said, accusing ICE of operating without sufficient oversight, violating constitutional rights, and refusing to coordinate with state and local authorities. “This is not border security. This is not law and order,” he said.
Schumer said Senate Democrats were unified behind three core demands: ending roving patrols and tightening warrant requirements; establishing accountability through a uniform code of conduct and independent investigations; and requiring agents to remove masks, wear body cameras, and carry proper identification.
“No more anonymous agents, no more secret operatives,” he said.
Senator Patty Murray said Democrats were willing to avert a shutdown immediately by passing five of the six appropriations bills, which she said accounted for about 95 per cent of the remaining budget. The DHS bill, she argued, should be handled separately to address agencies she described as “out of control.”
Calling the killing of Alex Pretti an inflection point, Murray accused the administration of attempting to obscure the circumstances of the incident and falsely labeling a nurse as a domestic terrorist. “There is no reason whatsoever for that work to hold up the other five bills and cause a shutdown,” she said.
Senator Alex Padilla said Democrats had reached a breaking point following two fatal incidents in Minnesota involving ICE and Customs and Border Protection officers. “No more of an out-of-control, militarised ICE roaming communities across the country,” he said, stressing that the debate was about lawful conduct, not immigration policy. “ICE and CBP are not above the law,” Padilla added.
On the possibility of compromise, Schumer said Democrats were open to negotiations but insisted the DHS bill be separated first, a move he said could be accomplished quickly through a Senate amendment. He warned that if funding lapsed, responsibility would lie with Thune.
Thune countered that splitting the package could create fresh risks, including delays if the revised legislation had to return to the House. He cautioned that reopening the bills could invite further amendments and prolong the process.
The Department of Homeland Security oversees immigration enforcement, border management, transportation security, disaster response, and cybersecurity — areas that have long been flashpoints in partisan battles. With deadlines looming and both sides entrenched, the impasse has heightened the risk of another government shutdown, an outcome that in the past has furloughed workers, disrupted services, and strained the broader economy.