The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) faces the possibility of running out of funding next week as Democrats call for reforms to immigration enforcement tactics.
But Republican leaders pushed back against the Democratic proposal Thursday, rejecting it as uncontroversial.
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Senate Majority Leader John Thune, for example, called the request “unrealistic and unserious.”
“This is not a blank check situation where Republicans just agree to a list of demands from Democrats,” Thune said, adding that the two parties appear to be at an impasse.
“We have not reached any agreement.”
Congress has until February 13 to pass a DHS funding bill or the program could be temporarily suspended.
10 demands from the Democratic Party
Democrats are currently focused on changing DHS’ immigration operations, particularly through programs such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
But funding shortfalls could affect other Homeland Security functions, including services provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which handles security screening at airports.
But Democratic leaders say shutting down the Department of Homeland Security is necessary given the human rights abuses that have unfolded under President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.
Just last month, the murders of two Americans, Alex Preti and Renee Nicole Good, at the hands of immigration agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, were captured on video by a witness.
News of their shootings has since gone viral, sparking international outrage. Other footage shows undercover operatives spraying chemical agents and beating civilians who were documenting or protesting, activities that are protected by the U.S. Constitution.
To protect civil liberties and avoid further bloodshed, Democrats announced a series of 10 demands Wednesday night.
A lot of it is about agent transparency. One of the demands was to prohibit immigration workers from wearing masks, and another to require identification numbers and institutional affiliations to be prominently displayed.
Body cameras will also be required, but Democrats have made clear that footage obtained through such devices should only be used for accountability purposes and not to track protesters.
Other proposed rules would codify use-of-force policy at the Department of Homeland Security and prohibit entry into homes without a judicial warrant, as is customary under U.S. law. It would also outlaw racial profiling as a tool to stop or arrest immigrants.
Political battle over funding
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he was “surprised” to hear that Republicans thought the demands were unreasonable.
“It’s about people’s fundamental rights, it’s about people’s safety,” Schumer said. He called on Republicans to “explain why” they oppose such standards.
In a joint statement with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Schumer urged members of both parties to unite around what he called common-sense guardrails.
“Federal immigration agents cannot continue to wreak havoc in our cities while spending tax dollars that should be used to make life more affordable for working families,” Schumer and Jeffries wrote.
“It is important that we come together to impose the common sense reforms and accountability measures that the American people demand.”
Democrats have already succeeded in defunding the Department of Homeland Security from the spending bill passed Tuesday to prevent a partial government shutdown.
Democrats and some Republicans are pushing for a second split to vote on funding for ICE and CBP separately from FEMA and TSA spending.
But Republican leaders opposed holding separate votes on those agencies, which Thune argued would give Democrats the power to “defund law enforcement.”
Thune added that he would encourage Democrats to introduce reforms to the bill separate from homeland security funding.
It remains to be seen whether the two parties can agree on a compromise by the February 13 deadline. Meanwhile, Democrats continue to push for other measures, including firing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
