Funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement is on the line after a second deadly shooting in Minneapolis happened over the weekend. If the funding for ICE is not passed by Congress, a partial government shutdown is expected.
Democrats in the Senate say they will not vote to fund the Department of Homeland Security without stricter guidelines for Immigration enforcement officers.
The opposition to pass funding for DHS will also result in tanking a $1.3 trillion spending package that is needed to keep other parts of the government operational past the Friday deadline.
“The appalling murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti on the streets of Minneapolis must lead Republicans to join Democrats in overhauling ICE and CBP to protect the public,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote on Sunday. “People should be safe from abuse by their own government.”
All but seven House Democrats voted against the funding bill that allocated money to DHS, as well as Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Patrol.
The increased DHS funding is the only part of the bill Democrats are currently opposing. Some Democrats said they want to avoid a shutdown by negotiating without shutting down major parts of the government.
To pass the funding measure, it needs to reach a 60-vote threshold, meaning that it needs some Democratic support. Congress will consider all the funding bills together.
Author: Andrew Streeter
Photo courtesy of Rod Lamkey Jr., AP News
Editor: Hannah Clove
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