Schumer Says Democrats Won't Approve DHS Funding

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Senate Democrats are moving to block a Homeland Security funding bill after the second fatal immigration-related shooting in Minneapolis this month. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Saturday said his caucus will not supply the votes needed to advance a package that includes money for the Department of Homeland Security, arguing the bill lacks meaningful limits on Immigration and Customs Enforcement, CBS News reports. Schumer said his party sought changes in the measure, "but because of Republicans' refusal to stand up to President Trump, the bill is woefully inadequate to rein in the abuses" of ICE, per the Washington Post.

Without at least eight Democratic votes, Republicans are unlikely to move the package, raising the risk of another partial government shutdown before the Jan. 30 funding deadline. Several Democrats who previously broke with their party to end last year's 43-day shutdown—Sens. Jacky Rosen, Catherine Cortez Masto, and Tim Kaine—now say they will not back DHS funding, per CBS. Others publicly opposing the measure include Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Mark Kelly, Chris Murphy, Brian Schatz, Mark Warner, Tammy Baldwin, Andy Kim, and Alex Padilla. Murphy and Padilla have been phoning colleagues to build resistance, and Senate Democrats plan to hold a caucus call on the issue Sunday night.

Pressure also is coming from the House and from Minnesota officials. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez urged senators to vote no, saying DHS "just shot a man in broad daylight two weeks after they shot a mother in the face without consequence." Funding of the rest of the government has bipartisan support, so congressional lawmakers could try to split the Homeland Security bill from the broader legislation, per the Post. Sen. Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, called for that step in a post. Until the latest shooting, she had supported funding DHS.