Congress Set to Revisit DHS Funding Amid Urgent Calls from GOP in Light of Iran Conflict
Washington — A renewed legislative push is underway as both the House and Senate prepare to vote on Thursday regarding funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This comes as Republicans highlight the pressing need to resolve the ongoing partial government shutdown, particularly in the context of the escalating conflict with Iran.
Pressure mounts on Democrats to endorse a bipartisan agreement reached earlier this year, which aimed to fund DHS through September. However, this agreement was established prior to a second fatal incident involving federal agents in Minneapolis, leading Democrats to demand reforms in immigration enforcement before any funding is approved.
The Senate plans a procedural vote at 1:45 p.m. on a House-passed bill that has previously failed to secure the necessary 60 votes for advancement. The House will follow suit with a similar vote around 4 p.m.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, representing South Dakota, expressed heightened concerns this week, stating, "There are always threats to the homeland that have to be addressed," but underscored that current circumstances elevate those stakes significantly.
"It shouldn't need saying that it's always a terrible idea to use the Department of Homeland Security as a political pawn," Thune remarked. "But above all right now, with enhanced terror threats from Iran and Iran-funded terrorist groups, it is vital that we ensure the Department of Homeland Security is fully funded and fully functioning."
House Speaker Mike Johnson from Louisiana echoed these sentiments, asserting that "military action in Iran makes it all the more urgent and crucial to have a fully staffed, fully funded Department of Homeland Security across all departments."
On Wednesday, Johnson criticized Democrats for "playing political games," labeling it "shameful" for anyone to oppose DHS funding.
"If we're being wise, now is the time to be vigilant at home and to ensure that all of our doors are locked, so to speak," Johnson stated. "Obviously everyone understands that it's a heightened threat environment. Global tensions are high, threats are constantly evolving and America's adversaries are watching for any sign of weakness on our part."
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise also voiced concerns on Wednesday, calling it "dangerous" to maintain the shutdown given the increased security risks following the conflict with Iran.
"Now that we're at a heightened threat, it's not just hypothetical threats… we need to be more vigilant than ever and have a fully functioning Department of Homeland Security with all the capabilities," Scalise noted, referencing a recent deadly shooting incident in Austin, Texas.
Funding for DHS lapsed on February 14, with ongoing disagreements between Democrats and the White House regarding limitations on federal immigration agents. Both parties have exchanged counterproposals, though specifics remain undisclosed. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer indicated that negotiations continue but both sides are "still far apart."
"But we're still negotiating and exchanging paper back and forth," Schumer commented on Tuesday.
Last week marked a second failure in the Senate to advance the funding measure for DHS through September. The House had previously passed this bill in January, prior to another fatal shooting involving federal agents in Minneapolis. At that time, only seven House Democrats supported the measure, with many expressing concerns over insufficient immigration enforcement reforms.
Following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minnesota by federal agents, Democrats have remained steadfast in their demands for reforms. These include requirements for immigration agents to wear body cameras and identification, prohibiting masks during operations, and mandating judicial warrants for arrests on private property.
While the focus has been on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), DHS also oversees other critical agencies such as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Coast Guard, and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Workers within these agencies who have continued their duties during the shutdown have begun experiencing missed paychecks.
Despite the shutdown, funding for immigration enforcement initiatives has remained intact due to a multibillion-dollar allocation for ICE and CBP approved last summer as part of broader legislation.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries responded critically when asked about Democrats' stance regarding the House GOP's strategy for DHS funding amid the Iranian strikes. He described the situation as "insane."
"Donald Trump launches an unauthorized war in the Middle East, he characterizes it as endless, he decides that he wants to spend billions of dollars to bomb Iran, rather than spend taxpayer dollars to lower the grocery bills that are crushing the American people," Jeffries stated during a news conference on Tuesday. "Make it make sense, because it does not."
