Senate Democrats Refuse to Support Homeland Security Funding Bill After Minneapolis Shooting
Saturday’s shooting of a 37-year-old man in Minneapolis by a Border Patrol agent has sparked widespread outrage and calls for reform. In response, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced that Democrats will not provide the necessary votes to advance a bill funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Schumer cited the need for “common sense reforms” in the DHS spending bill, which he believes are being hindered by Republicans’ refusal to stand up to President Trump.
The House had passed a funding package, including a separate measure to fund DHS, on Thursday, sending the bills to the Senate for approval. However, Senate Democrats are now refusing to support the DHS funding bill, citing the recent shootings and the need for greater accountability and oversight of immigration agents. Schumer has called for the six-bill funding package to be broken up, allowing the Senate to pass the non-DHS portions while reworking the DHS bill.
Incidents Leading to the Refusal
The shooting in Minneapolis is the second incident in recent weeks involving immigration agents. On January 7, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and killed a woman, Renee Good, in South Minneapolis. Both victims were American citizens, and video footage of the incidents has spread quickly online. The family of the latest victim, Alex Jeffrey Pretti, has identified him as an intensive care nurse living in Minneapolis.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated that the man who was killed “approached” U.S. Border Patrol officers while they were conducting “targeted” immigration enforcement operations, with a 9mm semiautomatic handgun. Noem claimed that officers attempted to disarm him, but he “reacted violently,” and an agent fired defensive shots. However, the incident has raised concerns about the use of force by immigration agents and the need for greater accountability.
Democratic Senators’ Response
Several Democratic senators, including Nevada Sens. Jacky Rosen and Catherine Cortez Masto, have announced that they will not support the measure funding DHS. Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, another one of the eight Democrats who voted against their party to end the 43-day government shutdown last year, has also stated that he will not support funding DHS. Sen. Angus King of Maine, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, has also expressed his opposition to the bill, citing the need for greater oversight and accountability.
Other Democratic senators, including Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Mark Kelly of Arizona, and Chris Murphy of Connecticut, have also spoken out against the bill. Murphy and Sen. Alex Padilla of California have been working to whip opposition to the DHS funding bill, according to a source familiar with the negotiations.
Call for Investigation and Reform
The incidents in Minneapolis have sparked calls for a joint federal and state investigation into the use of force by immigration agents. Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican, has called the events “incredibly disturbing” and argued that the “credibility of ICE and DHS are at stake.” Rep. Michael Baumgartner of Washington has also expressed his concern, stating that he is “disturbed” by what he has seen in Minnesota.
Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has called on the Trump administration to pull ICE agents from Minneapolis, characterizing their efforts as an “absolute abomination.” The Trump administration has deployed 3,000 federal agents from ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection throughout Minnesota as part of “Operation Metro Surge,” which has led to rising tensions between federal agents and residents.
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