Democrats shockingly do not cave to Republican demands on DHS
The Senate once again failed to pass a bill funding the Department of Homeland Security, with the measure falling 51-46, well short of the 60 votes needed to advance. TSA and other DHS workers are still caught in the middle of a standoff over new limits on federal immigration officers.
Democrats have shockingly held the line demanding restrictions on immigration enforcement after fatal federal shootings in Minneapolis, while Republicans have rejected breaking out agencies like TSA and FEMA for separate funding, and seem to insist on business as usual, with no meaningful changes to curb ICE’s brutality.
Democrats dug in against the funding for the agency after federal agents fatally shot two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis earlier this year during an immigration crackdown that has since been dialed back. After the deaths, Democrats said they would refuse to cooperate in providing funding unless legislation putting new restrictions on federal officers was signed into law, a position they have maintained even as pressure has mounted for them to relent.
Democrats have pushed for an end to masked officers and random roundups of suspected undocumented immigrants, in addition to requirements for body cameras and new requirements for warrants issued by a judge for arrests and home entry. But talks with the White House have not resulted in much progress and have been stalled for the past two weeks.
Republicans are hoping that airport disruptions stir at least enough Democrats to break with the party to fund the agency, as happened last year with a broader government shutdown. But so far the party has remained united. Republicans say that the need to get the Department of Homeland Security back at full strength has become particularly acute now, given the military assault on Iran and the possibility of retaliatory terror attacks.
The Trump Administration could have waited to go to war until after it had its Homeland Security department funded. Crying about Democrats not funding DHS somehow endangering citizens, when the White House chose to start a war it can not explain, is rich.