Another shutdown appears likely after Minnesota shooting prompts revolt by Democrats
WASHINGTON— The killing of a second U.S. citizen by federal agents in Minneapolis sharply complicates efforts to block a new government shutdown in Washington, as Democrats (and some Republicans) see the incident as a turning point in the debate over the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies.
Senate Democrats have vowed to block funding for the Department of Homeland Security unless changes are made to rein in the federal agency’s operations following the killing of 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse Alex Pretti.
Departures from the Democratic Party threaten to derail passage of the sweeping spending package, which now funds the State Department and Pentagon as well as education, health care, labor and transportation agencies.
The standoff also revealed fissures among GOP lawmakers who have called for a federal and state investigation into the shooting and congressional hearings for federal officials to explain their tactics; These demands have put extraordinary pressure on the Trump administration.
Senate Republicans need 60 votes to advance the spending measure in the chamber; This is a threshold they cannot reach on their own with 53 seats. The task is further complicated by a time crunch: Lawmakers have until midnight Friday to reach a compromise or face a partial government shutdown.
Senate Democrats expressed reservations about supporting funding for the Department of Homeland Security after mother of three Renee Good was shot and killed by federal agents in Minneapolis this month. However, Pretti’s murder led to Democrats becoming stronger in opposition.
Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said Sunday he would oppose funding entities involved in Minneapolis operations.
“I’m not going to give ICE or Border Patrol another dime, given the way those agencies operate. Democrats are not going to fund it,” he said in an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “I think everyone who voted to give them more money to do this will share the responsibility and see more Americans dying in our cities as a result.”
Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) said last week that he “will not give more money to corporations.” [Customs and Border Protection] and ICE will continue to terrorize our communities and break the law. He reiterated his stance hours after Pretti’s killing.
“I will vote against additional funding for Trump’s ICE and CBP when they act with such reckless disregard for life, safety, and the Constitution,” Padilla wrote in a post on X.
While Senate Republicans largely intend to support the funding measure, some are publicly voicing concerns about the Trump administration’s training requirements for Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and calling for congressional oversight hearings.
“To rebuild trust, a thorough, independent investigation into the shooting must be conducted, and Congressional committees must hold hearings and do oversight,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) wrote in a post about X. “ICE agents do not have full authority in the performance of their duties.”
Similar demands are coming from House Republicans.
Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-R.), chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, formally requested testimony from leaders of ICE, Customs and Border Protection, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, saying his “top priority is keeping Americans safe.”
Homeland Security has yet to publicly confirm it will attend the hearing, but Garbarino told reporters Saturday that he “has been in contact with the department” and expects a full investigation.
Many Republican lawmakers have expressed concern that federal authorities say Pretti’s killing was partly due to the fact that he had a loaded firearm on him during the encounter. Pretti had a permit to carry, according to the Minneapolis police chief, and videos show him holding his cellphone without brandishing a gun before officers pushed him to the ground.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) wrote of
After the GOP backtracked, President Trump appears to be looking for ways to de-escalate tensions. The president said Monday that he had a “very good conversation” with Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, with whom he has clashed in recent weeks, and that they “seemed to be on a similar wavelength” on next steps.
If Democrats are successful in repealing the Homeland Security spending package, some have hinted that comprehensive immigration reforms would follow.
California Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Fremont) detailed the plan in a social media post over the weekend, calling on Congress to repeal $75 billion in additional funding for ICE marked last year as part of the “One Big Good Bill Act.” The allocation roughly tripled the budget for immigration enforcement.
The clash came as a list of renewed demands from progressives: “remove ICE” and replace it with an agency with congressional oversight.
“[Congress must] “Destroy ICE and replace it with an agency that has oversight,” said Khanna, adding: “We owe it to nurse Pretti and the hundreds of thousands of people on the streets who risked their lives to stand up for our freedoms.”
Democrats are also focusing on removing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Earlier this month, Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.) introduced a measure to impeach Noem, saying she brought a “reign of terror to Minneapolis.” At least 120 House Democrats supported the measure, according to Kelly’s office.
Democrats also called for an end to controversial “Kavanaugh stops,” which allow agents to detain people based on perceived race, and have pitched a reversal of qualified immunity protections that protect agents from misconduct lawsuits.
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) supported the agenda and called on ICE and Border Patrol agents to “leave Minnesota immediately.”
“Voting NO on the DHS funding bill is the bare minimum. Supporting the removal of Kristi Noem is the bare minimum. Holding ICE agents who break the law legally accountable is the bare minimum. ICE is beyond reform. Abolish it,” he wrote on Sunday. Publish on X.
