Senate Democrats will block a sweeping government funding package next week because of concerns over funding Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-New York) said Saturday.
The announcement comes hours after Border Patrol agents shot and killed a man in Minneapolis amid an immigration enforcement operation in the city. Many Democratic senators have condemned the Trump administration’s aggressive actions against U.S. citizens and undocumented immigrants with no criminal record in Minnesota and other states.
“What’s happening in Minnesota is appalling — and unacceptable in any American city. Democrats sought common sense reforms in the Department of Homeland Security spending bill, but because of Republicans’ refusal to stand up to President Trump, the DHS bill is woefully inadequate to rein in the abuses of ICE. I will vote no,” Schumer wrote on X. “Senate Democrats will not provide the votes to proceed to the appropriations bill if the DHS funding bill is included.”
The government will partially shut down at the end of the day Friday if Congress doesn’t pass a funding package or extension. A $1.2 trillion appropriations package that includes funding for Homeland Security passed the House on Thursday, but House Democrats largely voted against it.
A spokesperson for Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) said she is “exploring all options” to pass the remaining government funding bills in time. One option may be to split the Homeland Security bill off from the other five spending bills, which have greater bipartisan support.
Senate Democrats are planning to have a caucus call at 6 p.m. Sunday.
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