Senator John Fetterman from Pennsylvania has voiced doubt over the possibility of Congress reaching an agreement on funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). He explained that his party is hesitant to back funding for immigration enforcement without significant regulatory changes.
In a brief conversation with the Daily Caller News Foundation, Fetterman indicated that Congressional Democrats are unlikely to support a short-term funding extension for DHS, which would benefit Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), or a longer $1 billion spending plan. With only nine days remaining before the February 13 deadline, lawmakers face pressure to secure funding for various agencies, including the Coast Guard and FEMA.
“Democrats may not have the appetite to vote for ICE at this point,” Fetterman commented, noting his support for some immigration enforcement reforms.
Fetterman, who often diverges from the party’s more extreme factions, also made it clear he strongly opposes suggestions from some colleagues to eliminate ICE altogether. “I firmly reject this ‘Abolish ICE’ narrative and its associated extremism,” he mentioned, adding that this phrase, which has gained traction among progressives, could end up being detrimental. “We’ve seen this before; there’s a lot of shouting, but then they might need to step back from those views.”
Recently, Congress passing a spending bill and a short extension of DHS funding at existing levels was signed by President Trump. Most House Democrats and around half of Senate Democrats voted against this temporary measure, despite initially supporting a two-week extension to allow for negotiations with the White House over immigration policies.
Republican leaders have dismissed several proposed changes from Democrats regarding immigration enforcement, including new warrants and restrictions on police wearing masks. Furthermore, Democrats rejected a proposal for a stopgap funding measure known as the Continuing Resolution that would have provided interim funding for DHS beyond February 13.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse from Rhode Island stated that he would not support extending DHS funding for even two more weeks, reflecting the sentiments of other Senate Democrats.
As the deadline looms, Democratic leaders have yet to present Republicans with a list of desired changes to immigration enforcement. “We’re preparing robust legislation,” Senator Schumer stated at a recent press conference, emphasizing the party’s commitment to tough measures. Additionally, they rejected a bill from Republican Senator Lindsey Graham that aimed to penalize state and local officials supporting sanctuary policies.
Senator John Thune remarked that due to the time crunch, achieving a funding agreement for DHS by mid-February seems nearly impossible. He accused leading Democrats of stalling negotiations as the shutdown deadline approaches, suggesting they are wary of backlash from their more progressive members.
Despite the serious implications of a DHS shutdown, some Democrats express a willingness to support such a move as a protest against immigration enforcement, although they acknowledge that ICE operations would likely proceed without interruption during a lapse in funding.
Democratic Senator Cory Booker commented on the current accountability systems, asserting, “They are not sufficient to correct the issues affecting the American people, particularly regarding civil rights violations.” He called for more comprehensive solutions to address these pressing issues.
