Senate Democrats oppose Department of Homeland Security funding after a Minneapolis ICE shooting, increasing the likelihood of a partial government shutdown next week.
Congress faces a growing risk of a partial government shutdown next week as Senate Democrats vow to block funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) following the fatal Minneapolis shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti by federal agents.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer confirmed Saturday that Democrats will not support the six-bill spending package scheduled for consideration if it includes DHS funding. The package requires a 60-vote threshold to advance in the Senate, meaning Republican leaders will need Democratic support to pass the legislation.
“Senate Democrats will not provide the votes to proceed to the appropriations bill if the DHS funding bill is included,” Schumer said, adding that he would personally vote “no.”
Partial funding has already been approved for several federal agencies, including Agriculture, Commerce, Interior, and Justice. However, funding for the Pentagon, DHS, and other major departments expires at midnight Friday, representing more than 75% of federal discretionary spending.
Several Democratic senators who had previously supported government funding under President Trump have now pledged to oppose DHS funding in response to the Minneapolis shooting. Funding for ICE and Border Patrol, the agencies involved in the operation that resulted in Pretti’s death, is included in the pending Senate bill.
“I am voting against any funding for DHS until and unless more controls are put in place to hold ICE accountable,” said Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii). “These repeated incidents of violence across the country are unlawful, needlessly escalatory, and making all of us less safe.”
Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need for greater oversight and accountability of ICE operations before approving funding. Rosen highlighted the responsibility of Congress to prevent abuses of power.
The DHS funding bill cleared the House Thursday 220-207, with only seven Democrats voting in favor. Republicans combined it with five other bills funding Defense, Health and Human Services, State, and other departments, sending it to the Senate as a six-bill package.
More than half of the Senate Democratic caucus had already expressed opposition to the combined package, and the Minneapolis shooting has increased pressure on lawmakers to withhold support. Efforts are ongoing among senators such as Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) to coordinate opposition. House Democrats are also convening a private caucus call to discuss their response.
Some Democrats, including Cortez Masto and Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), have suggested separating the DHS bill from the other five, which enjoy bipartisan support. Doing so would allow essential agencies to receive funding while Congress debates ICE reforms. However, stripping DHS from the package would require unanimous consent in the Senate and a return to the House, which has already left town, making such a maneuver unlikely before the Friday deadline.
As the weekend progressed, Democratic aides privately acknowledged that the probability of a partial government shutdown is rising, though some expressed uncertainty over potential alternatives if Democrats block the spending package.
Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), a senior appropriator, acknowledged the difficult position Democrats face. “I don’t know the details of exactly what the language is in the Homeland Security bills in terms of trying to hold ICE accountable and trying to minimize their misconduct, and I don’t know whether it is worse to have a continuing resolution and how that might be misused,” he said.
With a deadline looming and partisan divisions deepening, Congress is heading into a high-stakes standoff that could temporarily halt funding for the federal government.