Senate not ‘anywhere close’ to a funding deal as ICE fight intensifies
WASHINGTON— Senate Republican Leader John Thune warned Thursday that Congress is no closer to an agreement on funding the Department of Homeland Security, signaling that another short-term extension may be the only way to avoid a shutdown as Democrats demand “non-negotiable” ICE reforms ahead of a Feb. 13 deadline.
Republicans are looking for ways to use the entire funding package a second time if negotiations fail. Speaking in the Senate on Thursday, Thune said such a move would not include any reforms lawmakers have previously negotiated, including body cameras for immigration officers.
“As of now, we are not even close to reaching any agreement that would allow us to fund the Department of Homeland Security,” he said. “If [Democrats] “If they come to the table and demand a blank check or refuse to consider any measures other than their own, they will probably be left with nothing.”
He spoke hours after Democrats in the House and Senate announced they were behind him List of 10 demands They say the legislation must be passed before the Homeland Security funding package is approved by September.
Democrats are pushing for legal limits on immigration raids, new warrant requirements, body-worn cameras, identification rules for agents and better oversight of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection; Reforms they say are needed to rein in what House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (DY) called an “out of control” institution.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (DY) said Democrats plan to propose the legislation as soon as possible.
“We want our Republican colleagues to finally get serious about this, because this is turning America upside down in a way we haven’t seen in a very long time,” Schumer said.
The coordinated demands signal unity among House and Senate Democrats after a difficult week on Capitol Hill. In a weak vote, 21 House Democrats joined Republicans on Tuesday to end the partial government shutdown by temporarily extending Homeland Security funding through Feb. 13.
The two-week temporary pause, dubbed the “continuing resolution,” was intended to give the two parties time to discuss how to rein in ICE following the fatal shooting of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis.
However, this ceasefire quickly broke down. Republican leaders have little appetite for all the reforms. Some have said they are open to narrower changes, such as expanding body camera programs and training, but have ruled out mask mandates and the firing of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has already rejected warrant requirements that would limit immigration officials from entering private property without a court order. He also signaled interest in adding voter ID and anti-sanctuary city policies to the talks, he told reporters Wednesday.
“It will be part of the discussion over the next few weeks and we’ll see how it plays out. But I suspect some of the changes (procedural changes related to ICE, Immigration and Customs Enforcement) will be enacted,” he said.
Johnson said he was confident the two sides could reach a deal without further delay, adding that negotiations were largely between “the White House, Schumer and Senate Democrats.”
While President Trump has privately supported a short-term extension to ease tensions, he has publicly defended immigration officials and expressed skepticism about Democrats’ reform efforts, according to House leadership.
White House border policy adviser Tom Homan also announced this week the withdrawal of 700 federal agents from Minneapolis; this was something officials framed as a goodwill gesture during negotiations.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday that the administration is willing to consider some of Democrats’ demands, but some of their requests “are not based on any common sense and are a non-starter for this administration.”
Leavitt did not specify what reforms the administration would like to consider. But he said the president is committed to keeping the government open and supporting “efforts to enforce immigration in this country.”
The White House did not respond when asked whether the president would support a short-term spending measure if negotiations stalled.
Republicans continue to warn that failure to reach a deal would jeopardize disaster response funding, airport security operations, maritime patrols and increased security assistance for major national events, including the World Cup in Los Angeles.
“If we don’t get this done by the middle of next week, we should consider a continuing resolution for the rest of the year and put all of this behind us,” said Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.), chairman of the House Freedom Caucus.
But Democrats are adamant that verbal assurances are no longer enough.
“These are just a few of the common-sense proposals that the American people would clearly like to see in terms of the dramatic changes needed at the Department of Homeland Security before there is an appropriations bill for the full year,” Jeffries said.
Times writer Ana Ceballos in Washington contributed to this report.
