Congressional Democrats are threatening to hold up funding for the Department of Homeland Security in the wake of a deadly shooting of a woman by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in Minnesota and growing tensions linked to immigration enforcement.
DHS funding, which includes ICE, was not included in a slate of appropriations bills released by the House Appropriations Committee on Sunday.
Lawmakers had originally hoped to include funding for DHS in a minibus for national security, the State Department and financial services.
So far, the House has passed six of the dozen appropriations bills that need to be approved by Jan. 30 in order to avoid a partial government shutdown.
Funding for DHS may be included in another minibus, but that could complicate efforts to pass that funding package.
Democrats condemn ‘lawlessness’ of DHS
U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut is one of the sharpest critics of DHS and the immigration crackdown.
“Democrats cannot vote for a DHS budget that doesn’t restrain the growing lawlessness of this agency,” he posted on X, after the deadly shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis.
Murphy, who is the ranking Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees DHS, has also argued that ICE is “making our communities more dangerous.”
As first reported by Axios, Murphy has been working on legislation that would force DHS to carry out reforms, including banning immigration personnel from wearing masks.
In the House, Arizona Rep. Yassamin Ansari has introduced a legislative package that she said is aimed at reining in ICE.
“No agency is above the law,” she said in a recent floor speech. “Yet, ICE is now the most well funded law enforcement agency in the United States, receiving more funding than many national militaries around the world, while operating with virtually no meaningful checks or balances.”
Ansari also backs an effort by some Democrats to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
GOP backs DHS and Secretary Noem
Noem has stood by the agent who fired the shots that killed Good, saying that the woman “weaponized” her vehicle and that he was justified in taking action.
House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters last week he believes it would be a “terrible idea” to withhold funding for DHS and ICE.
He and other Republicans defend President Donald Trump’s administration’s decision to deploy ICE agents in various cities to arrest people — including violent criminals — who are in the country illegally.
Republican U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma said on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday that members of law enforcement have the right to use lethal force “if they’re feeling threatened.”
The administration has decided to send hundreds of additional ICE agents to Minnesota in the wake of last week’s shooting in Minneapolis.
