Senate Democrats on Tuesday blocked a spending bill to reopen the Department of Homeland Security, insisting that any such measure must include new curbs on immigration enforcement that Republicans have so far rejected.
The 50-to-45 vote all but ensured that federal funding for the department would remain halted for a second week as the stalemate between Democrats and Republicans over new restrictions on immigration agents stretches on. The legislation, which would fund the agency through September, contained modest guardrails that fell well short of Democrats’ demands. It stalled anew after failing to draw the 60 votes necessary to overcome a filibuster, with nearly all Democrats opposed, just hours before President Trump was set to address Congress.
Bipartisan negotiations over new guardrails on Mr. Trump’s immigration crackdown have faltered since funding lapsed for the department two weekends ago, and lawmakers appeared to be far from any breakthrough.
Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the minority leader, said that no progress had been made in negotiations, and that the White House had not been receptive to Democrats’ demands to unmask federal immigration agents, require them to obtain judicial warrants before searching homes, and make them subject to more oversight from state officials.
“We’ve heard crickets from them — nothing,” Mr. Schumer told reporters on Tuesday. “They’re not negotiating. They’re just trying to pass paper back and forth with no real changes.”
Senator John Thune of South Dakota, the majority leader, countered, saying that “Republicans want to get to an agreement on homeland security funding.”
“We’ve acted in good faith throughout these negotiations,” Mr. Thune said. “The Trump administration has taken a number of actions on its own in Minneapolis.”
Democrats have said that they will not allow even a temporary funding measure to proceed without measures to curtail the tactics of immigration enforcement agents. Their opening list of demands included requiring those officers to show visible identification, blocking them from wearing masks, and adopting a stricter use-of-force policies.
“Border Czar Tom Homan said, ‘If you want certain laws reformed, take it up with Congress,’” Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois, the No. 2 Democrat, said. “He’s right. Congress ought to take this up on the agenda quickly.”
Republicans have largely rejected those demands, arguing they would create undue risks for federal agents and impose unreasonable restrictions on a crackdown they mostly support.
“We can have a debate about how these tasks are undertaken,” Mr. Thune said. “But we are not going to support anything that makes it impossible for law enforcement to carry out its job. We’re not going to support anything that makes it more dangerous for officers to do their jobs.”
Department leaders have said that essential missions and functions will continue during the funding lapse. About 95 percent of the Transportation Security Administration’s roughly 60,000 employees are required to work during a shutdown.
Republicans allocated $75 billion to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection in their megabill last year, which federal immigration officials have said they could continue drawing on in the event of a shutdown. And during last year’s 43-day government closure, ICE and Border Patrol agents continued to work without pay.
Michael Gold contributed reporting.
Catie Edmondson covers Congress for The Times.
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