The Department of Homeland Security is slated for a lapse in funding on Friday if Congress does not reach a spending deal.
As of Monday, reports have circulated about a push from Republicans for another continuing resolution to give lawmakers more time to hammer out a plan, according to POLITICO.
Democratic leadership released a list of demands to reform federal immigration enforcement last week, and many Republicans saw them as dead on arrival.
The Daily Wire reported last week that the requests include ending masking for agents, adding more body cameras, and switching away from administrative warrants to judicial warrants for arrests. Senate Democrats provided the draft legislation to Republicans on Sunday, outlining requests, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) opposed a second short-term funding bill, according to Fox News.
“Democrats’ newest proposal is a ridiculous Christmas list of demands for the press. This is NOT negotiating in good faith, and it’s NOT what the American people want,” Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL), a top Senate negotiator, posted to X last week.
“They continue to play politics to their radical base at the expense of the safety of Americans. DHS, FEMA, Secret Service, and the Coast Guard run out of money in 9 days. Democrats don’t seem to care one bit,” the Alabama Republican continued.
The government briefly shut down last week after the White House and Senate Democrats struck a deal to split DHS funding from the rest of the spending package, which then had to go back to the House for approval.
“This bill is a great victory for the American people. Instead of a bloated and wasteful omnibus monstrosity full of special interest handouts, we’ve succeeded in passing a fiscally responsible package that actually cuts wasteful federal spending, while supporting critical programs for the safety, security, and prosperity of the American people,” Trump said during an Oval Office signing ceremony last Tuesday to celebrate funding most of the federal government through September 30.
The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” signed by President Donald Trump in July included funding for many of the administration’s goals for immigration, such as resources to hire significantly more ICE personnel to execute mass deportations.
Criticism of the administration’s immigration enforcement tactics has been public for months, but tensions soared following the fatal shooting of protester Alex Pretti in Minneapolis as anti-ICE demonstrations raged on for weeks.
On the Democratic side, some lawmakers are not optimistic about a deal either, with Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) telling Arizona Public Media that “I think it’s very difficult for us to get there,” last week.
A shutdown of the department could create issues for other key agencies it oversees, most notably FEMA and TSA. During the 43-day government shutdown in the fall, TSA agent call-outs caused issues at airports nationwide. Following the shutdown, DHS announced $10,000 bonuses for some agents.
A White House official told The Daily Wire on background that “President Trump has been consistent, he wants the government open and the Administration has been working with both parties to ensure the American people don’t have to endure another drawn out, senseless, and hurtful shutdown.”
Meanwhile, DHS said in a statement that “DHS essential missions and functions will continue as they do during every shutdown. However, during a shutdown, many employees will be forced to work without pay, putting strain on the frontline defenders of our nation.”
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