GOP lawmakers reject proposal to reopen select homeland security agencies while excluding immigration enforcement funding.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Senate Republicans on Wednesday blocked a Democratic proposal to fund several Department of Homeland Security agencies during the ongoing partial shutdown, rejecting a measure that excluded immigration enforcement operations.
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee, Republicans prevented passage of the measure that would have funded agencies such as the Transportation Security Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and the U.S. Coast Guard while leaving Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection unfunded.
The committee said in a statement announcing the move that Democrats attempted to advance the measure through unanimous consent.
The dispute comes as the partial shutdown at the Department of Homeland Security stretches into its fourth week and begins affecting operations at U.S. airports.
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, introduced the proposal on the Senate floor, arguing it would immediately reopen non-immigration agencies responsible for aviation security, disaster response and cybersecurity.
The measure intentionally excluded funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection as Democrats seek policy changes following enforcement incidents earlier this year involving federal agents.
Republicans quickly objected to the plan.
Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., blocked the motion and criticized the proposal as a political maneuver that would weaken federal law enforcement.
“We have political games being played by our Democratic colleagues instead of putting the people of this nation first,” Britt said in remarks reported by The Hill.
“What we’ve just seen put forth by the senator from Washington would effectively defund our law enforcement officers that are charged with keeping Americans safe. We’re not going back to the era of defund police,” Britt added.
The funding dispute is part of a broader standoff between lawmakers over immigration enforcement policy and oversight of federal agents within the Department of Homeland Security.
Democratic lawmakers have pointed to recent fatal encounters involving immigration agents as justification for withholding funding until policy changes are adopted.
Speaking on the Senate floor, Murray cited the deaths of two individuals during enforcement incidents earlier this year and said Congress should implement reforms before approving additional funding for immigration enforcement operations.
“It has been nearly six weeks since Alex Pretti was killed by masked federal agents in broad daylight. It has been over nine weeks since Renee Good was killed,” Murray said.
“Day after day, week after week, we have seen Americans brutalized by an out-of-control Department of Homeland Security,” she added.
Murray said Democrats proposed “common-sense steps” aimed at preventing misconduct by federal officers and protecting civil rights before restoring funding for immigration agencies.
Republican leaders argued that Democrats are prolonging the shutdown by refusing to negotiate a comprehensive funding package that includes immigration enforcement.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said he did not understand why Democrats would not agree to broader negotiations with the White House.
“I guess I’m at a loss as to why we continue to have an attempt, a one-sided attempt, to actually sit down and solve this deal,” Thune said.
The dispute is increasingly affecting travelers as the shutdown continues.
With TSA funding caught in the stalemate, several major airports have reported long security lines as staffing shortages grow and agents continue working without pay.
Republicans have cited the delays as evidence that the shutdown is undermining security operations, while Democrats say they attempted to immediately fund TSA and other non-immigration agencies.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Republicans would bear responsibility for airport disruptions if they blocked the measure.
“I don’t want to hear any complaints from Republicans about TSA not being funded if they block this today,” Schumer said.
Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., also defended the proposal, saying it would have allowed key homeland security agencies to resume normal operations while negotiations continued.
“We’re concerned about lines at our airports,” Peters said. “We’re concerned about our TSA agents being able to pay their bills.”
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