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WASHINGTON — Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has narrowed down the dispute over the funding of the Department of Homeland Security to three key issues. Currently, thousands of federal employees, including ICE agents and TSA screeners, are facing unpaid leave.
Schumer (D-N.Y.) reiterated the main points he previously outlined, even as he and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) made 10 specific demands after a potential deal surfaced.
During an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday, he was asked if he would accept anything less than those demands. Schumer responded, saying, “The bottom line is we have three fundamental goals: rein in ICE and end violence.”
These goals involve halting the Trump administration’s ICE patrols, enhancing accountability for immigration officials, and prohibiting ICE agents from wearing masks.
The funding issues facing the Department of Homeland Security escalated late Friday, leading to its official closure. Previously, Republicans had funded ICE and Customs and Border Protection through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
As a result, this partial government shutdown will also affect other DHS operations, such as the Coast Guard, TSA, and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Border Czar Tom Homan stated that ICE officers would not receive pay during the funding lapse. Historically, during government shutdowns, the Trump administration managed to shift funds to cover payrolls. When questioned, ICE provided no clear response.
“ICE has continued to enforce the law across the country,” Homan later remarked on “State of the Union.” “They are already funded. ICE officers will no longer be paid, but they seem to be getting used to it.”
All other government operations, aside from DHS, will continue to be funded with remaining resources until the fiscal year ends on September 30.
In the latest funding proposal, Democrats allowed Republicans a mere 10 days to negotiate their ICE reform requests, despite Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) asking for more time.
The Trump administration has made moves like equipping all immigration officers with body cameras and scaling back Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) dismissed several Democratic requests, including the ban on ICE agents wearing masks and stricter warrant requirements.
Democrats are insisting on substantial immigration enforcement changes to reopen DHS.
Schumer brushed aside worries that prohibiting ICE officers from wearing masks could lead to retaliation from cartels, asserting, “Every other police department in America is unmasked. ICE can do the same thing. This is a rogue force.”
He added, “They almost seem to have been trained to be mean, mean, brutal, and do things that go way beyond what a normal police department would do. So they need to be restrained.”
The White House submitted a counter-proposal last week, which Democrats promptly rejected.
This marks the third government shutdown in the last three months. Unlike last year’s lengthy 43-day shutdown, this one is categorized as a partial shutdown rather than a complete halt.
Parliament is currently on a one-week recess.
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