Claudia Rosales
👤 SpeakerAppearances Over Time
Podcast Appearances
Immigration and Customs Enforcement is largely immune from the shutdown due to a major funding boost from Republicans' so-called One Big Beautiful Bill last year.
However, other agencies under the DHS umbrella, such as the Coast Guard, the TSA, and FEMA, have to furlough workers while those in critical roles work without pay.
To advance the appropriations bill in the Senate, Republicans need votes from Democrats.
However, Democrats want changes to how federal immigration agents do their jobs.
Even as many lawmakers left town for a week-long recess, leaders argued the bipartisan negotiations will continue.
Top Democrats released a 10-point plan for DHS immigration law enforcement agents in their continuing response to the deaths of Rene Good and Alex Preddy in Minneapolis last month.
In addition to agents' removal of masks...
They want the mandatory use of body cameras.
They want officers to adhere to uniforms with identifying information and standardized equipment and expanded training.
Democrats want to ensure officers are using judicial warrants and that basic rights are protected, such as immediate access to legal representation for those who are taken into custody and charged.
But Republicans say some of these are non-starters, and that could give way for another stopgap bill that kicks the can down the road for a few more weeks.
The House passed a spending package on a bipartisan basis last week.
It left for recess with the expectation the Senate would do the same.
The bill needs to pass by Friday to avoid a shutdown of portions of the government.
However, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the DHS funding plan is woefully inadequate and fails to keep ICE agents in check in the wake of Freddie's death.
Democrats are demanding Republicans pull the DHS funding from the overall $1.3 trillion bill, which also funds the Departments of Defense, Labor, and Health and Human Services, among others.
Republicans are pushing back, but many are also calling for a full investigation into Preddy's killing.