Senate Democrats say they will oppose a Department of Homeland Security funding bill following fatal federal shootings in Minneapolis, a move that could trigger a partial government shutdown by the end of the week.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Senate Democrats are vowing to block a Department of Homeland Security funding bill in response to recent fatal shootings involving federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, significantly increasing the likelihood of a partial government shutdown if Congress fails to act before the Friday midnight deadline.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Saturday night that Democrats would not provide the votes needed to move forward on appropriations legislation if DHS funding remains part of the package. His statement came hours after the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Minnesota resident Alex Pretti by federal agents.
“What is happening in Minnesota is appalling,” Schumer wrote, adding that Democrats “will not provide the votes to proceed to the appropriations bill if the DHS funding bill is included.”
Congress has passed six of the 12 annual spending bills for the current fiscal year, all of which have been signed into law by Donald Trump. The remaining six bills are pending in the Senate. If lawmakers fail to approve them by midnight Friday, funding will lapse for the agencies covered under those measures.
Republicans will require Democratic support to pass the remaining bills in time. That support was already uncertain following the earlier fatal shooting of Renee Good, a Minneapolis mother of three who was killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent earlier this month. The shooting death of Pretti, an intensive care unit nurse, intensified Democratic opposition.
“Democrats sought common sense reforms in the Department of Homeland Security spending bill, but because of Republicans’ refusal to stand up to President Trump, the DHS bill is woefully inadequate to rein in the abuses of ICE,” Schumer said. “I will vote no.”
Sen. Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee and a central negotiator on the funding package, had previously urged her colleagues to support the bill, arguing Democrats had blocked major increases to ICE’s budget. After the latest shooting, however, Murray said she could no longer back the measure.
“I will NOT support the DHS bill as it stands,” Murray wrote Sunday, adding, “Federal agents cannot murder people in broad daylight and face zero consequences.”
Federal officials have defended the actions of agents involved in both the Good and Pretti shootings as justified. Democrats, however, say video footage from both incidents contradicts those claims. Some Republicans have also called for comprehensive investigations.
“The events in Minneapolis are incredibly disturbing,” said Sen. Bill Cassidy, who called for a full joint federal and state investigation, saying the credibility of ICE and DHS is at stake.
Sen. Thom Tillis said he supports a “thorough and impartial investigation” and warned against prematurely closing inquiries, saying doing so would be a disservice to the nation and to Trump’s legacy.
Other Republicans criticized Democrats for threatening to block DHS funding. Sen. Lindsey Graham urged Democrats to reconsider, calling border protection a major national security priority and blaming sanctuary city policies for the current unrest.
Much of the federal government, including the Department of War, is currently operating under a short-term funding measure that expires Friday. Republican leaders hoped to avoid another shutdown following last fall’s 43-day closure, which centered on disputes over extending Affordable Care Act subsidies.
Before Pretti’s death, many Democrats had supported most of the remaining appropriations bills in the House, with DHS funding as the primary exception. The House transmitted the six bills to the Senate as a single package, complicating Democratic efforts to strip out the homeland security portion. Any changes would require the House to vote again, even as it plans to remain out of session this week.
Democrats are seeking to add policy provisions to the DHS funding bill that would require ICE agents to obtain warrants for immigration arrests, strengthen training requirements, mandate agent identification, and restrict Border Patrol agents to border duties rather than interior enforcement operations.
Sen. Chris Murphy, the top Democrat on the subcommittee overseeing DHS funding, said Congress cannot finance a department “that is murdering American citizens” and traumatizing families, speaking Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union.
Several other Democrats announced plans to vote against DHS funding, including Sen. Jacky Rosen and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto. Minnesota Sens. Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar also said they oppose the DHS bill and are calling for full and transparent investigations.
Democratic senators planned to hold a conference call Sunday evening to discuss next steps, while House Democrats met earlier with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and state Attorney General Keith Ellison.
Even if a shutdown occurs, much of the federal government would continue operating. Legislation signed Friday funds the Departments of Justice, Commerce and the Interior, along with the Environmental Protection Agency, NASA, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, through September. The Department of Agriculture is funded under a separate measure, meaning food assistance programs would continue.
Other government operations, however, would face disruptions if Congress fails to finalize the remaining spending bills before the deadline.
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