Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has criticized Senate Democrats for not having a valid reason to block funding for homeland security, as Republicans and the White House continue to push for government reopening proposals.
“There’s an opportunity to wrap this up,” Thune mentioned in a press conference on Saturday. “To strike a deal, both parties need to engage. The White House is involved, as are Senate Republicans. The question remains: are Senate Democrats prepared to say yes?”
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is now in its 36th day of a shutdown, largely due to Senate Democrats’ efforts to reform Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Democrats are still resisting funding amidst fears regarding potential chaos at airports and broader security threats, despite ongoing shutdown discussions. Recently, negotiations seemed to hit a standstill; however, Democrats did respond to the latest White House proposal, which led to two meetings on Capitol Hill involving senior officials from the Trump administration, Senate Republicans, and border czar Tom Homan.
During a recent meeting that concluded on Friday, Republicans put forth a compromise funding proposal for DHS aimed at Senate Democrats. Thune expressed optimism about the negotiations, indicating that the Republican proposal included many of the reforms sought by the Democrats.
As many federal workers face unpaid leave and airport lines grow increasingly long, anxiety mounts over potential threats—heightened by the Pentagon’s ongoing operations against Iran.
Frustrations have mounted among Republicans, particularly with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and other Democrats who remain reluctant to engage meaningfully in discussions. “We currently have DHS shuttered because our Democratic colleagues seem more afraid of ICE than they are of Iran,” Thune remarked on Saturday.
Despite Republican overtures, Democrats have shown little willingness to budge, even as concessions have been hinted at from the White House. A recent attempt by Republicans to fully reopen government agencies resulted in another failure.
The Senate is expected to vote later on Schumer’s initiative to fund the Transportation Security Administration independently, though its success seems unlikely given Republican opposition to anything less than full funding for DHS.
Thune remarked, “I imagine they see their stance as ‘very calm,’ but those stuck in airport lines don’t feel the same sense of calm. This situation needs addressing, and we need tangible outcomes.” In a related statement on Truth Social, President Trump threatened to dispatch ICE agents to airports if Democrats reject the proposed deal, emphasizing a focus on enforcing immigration laws.
