Democrats Tighten Immigration Demands as Shutdown Nears After Fatal Minneapolis Shootings

BY EMMANUEL OGBONNA

Democratic senators are narrowing a list of proposed changes to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as a partial government shutdown looms by the end of the week, seeking to leverage must-pass funding legislation amid growing outrage over the fatal shootings of two people by federal agents in Minneapolis.

With a critical Senate vote scheduled for Thursday on whether to advance a sweeping spending package that includes funding for the Department of Homeland Security, Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer has yet to formally outline the conditions his caucus will demand in exchange for allowing the bill to proceed. Democrats met Wednesday to discuss a set of potential requirements, and party leaders have pledged to block the legislation unless meaningful changes are made to immigration enforcement practices.

“This madness, this terror must stop,” Schumer of New York said, calling for immediate reforms at ICE and U.S. Border Patrol following the deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good earlier this month. The shootings have intensified Democratic criticism of the administration’s nationwide immigration enforcement surge and reshaped the political debate on Capitol Hill.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, said he is waiting for Democrats to specify their demands and suggested that any resolution would require direct engagement with the White House. It remains unclear how actively the administration is involved in talks, or whether there is a path to an agreement that would satisfy Democrats who say the shootings underscore systemic failures in enforcement oversight.

Absent visible negotiations, the prospect of a partial shutdown beginning Saturday has grown more likely.

Democrats have floated several policy changes they want attached to the homeland security funding bill. Among them are requirements that federal immigration agents obtain judicial warrants before making arrests, clearly identify themselves during enforcement actions, and abandon arrest quotas. Other proposals include redeploying agents away from interior enforcement back to the border and mandating cooperation by the Department of Homeland Security with state and local investigations into incidents involving the use of deadly force.

Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the Senate subcommittee overseeing homeland security spending, said the party is focused on reforms that can unite Democrats and appeal broadly to the public. He criticized what he described as “roving patrols” operating across the country, arguing that such practices have spread fear well beyond immigrant communities.

“None of this is revolutionary,” Murphy said. “None of this requires a new comprehensive piece of legislation.”

Both Murphy and Schumer have emphasized that any commitments must be enacted by Congress rather than left to administrative promises. Schumer said lawmakers cannot rely on the administration to voluntarily change course.

Republicans, however, have warned that altering the spending package risks triggering a shutdown. They note that the House has already passed the remaining six annual funding bills as a single package and sent them to the Senate, complicating efforts to carve out or amend the homeland security portion. Breaking the package apart would require either unanimous consent in the Senate or a lengthy series of procedural votes that could extend beyond the Friday deadline.

“We can have conversations about what additional oversight is required, what additional laws we should consider,” said Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, “but not at the expense of shutting down the government.”

Even if the Senate were able to strike a deal, House Republicans have signaled strong resistance to any changes. The House is not in session this week, and conservative lawmakers have made clear they do not want the bill reopened. In a letter to President Donald Trump on Tuesday, members of the House Freedom Caucus said they stand firmly with the president and ICE, warning that the legislation would not return to the House without full funding for the Department of Homeland Security intact.

Republican leaders had hoped to avoid another shutdown after last fall’s 43-day closure, which stemmed from a separate dispute over health care subsidies. The current standoff, however, has taken on a moral dimension for Democrats, who argue that the Minneapolis shootings demand an immediate response from Congress.

“It is truly a moral moment,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut. “I think we need to take a stand.”

As the deadline approaches, both parties remain dug in, with Democrats insisting they will not retreat from their demands and Republicans warning that time is running out to keep the government fully funded.