Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman has diverged from his party, opposing the calls from some Democrats to defund or abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This response follows the recent fatal shootings of two Americans by federal immigration agents. As a moderate in the party, Fetterman voiced his disagreement with cutting funding for federal immigration agencies, particularly referencing the tragic death of 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Preti by Border Patrol agents.
With impending deadlines for funding various government agencies, including ICE, Fetterman stated he won’t support a government shutdown if it involves these cuts. “I would never vote to shut down the government, especially the Department of Defense,” he shared on social media, pointing out that a government shutdown wouldn’t effectively defund ICE anyway, given that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has significant funds allocated.
Fetterman emphasized that even if the DHS funding bill does not pass, ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) would still continue operations due to previously allocated funds from the Republican Tax Cuts and Spending Act of July 2025. He argued that a loss of DHS funding would have detrimental effects on agencies like the Coast Guard and FEMA as well.
“I reject calls to defund or abolish ICE,” he reiterated, criticizing federal immigration authorities’ methods during operations in Minneapolis, where President Trump announced that ICE activities would remain active.
While the DHS funding bill narrowly passed in the House—with a few Democrats voting in favor—it faces difficulties in the Senate following the backlash caused by Preti’s death. Recently, several House Democrats have expressed regret over their affirmative votes for the DHS bill.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer declared that Democrats will filibuster any spending bill that includes ICE funding. The bill has been introduced in a larger package containing five other spending measures, and Schumer has suggested the possibility of passing a non-DHS funding bill before a potential shutdown on January 30. However, Senate Majority Leader John Thune has not agreed to separate the DHS bill from the larger package.
If Thune proceeds with a vote on the bill, Fetterman could emerge as the sole Senate Democrat garnering bipartisan support for the House-passed funding.
Fetterman expressed a desire to negotiate the exclusion of DHS measures from the funding package, but he also indicated he would support government funding regardless of whether it includes a Homeland Security bill. “It’s unlikely that will happen, and our country will probably face another shutdown,” he warned.
Previously, Fetterman was one of only three Democrats who abstained from joining Schumer’s hardline approach during the extensive government shutdown in fall 2025. Meanwhile, the Working Families Party has initiated a campaign to challenge Fetterman in the primary, citing his history of opposing government shutdowns. Notably, Fetterman isn’t due for re-election until 2028.
