Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has reiterated his commitment to oppose funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and proposed a revision of the appropriations bill as the threat of another government shutdown approaches this week.
Schumer’s opposition comes in the wake of the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti by a Border Patrol agent during an immigration operation in Minneapolis. This incident marks the second officer-involved shooting in the city this month, following the January 7 death of Renee Good at the hands of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer.
“Senate Republicans have seen the same horrific footage that all Americans have watched of the blatant abuses of Americans by ICE in Minnesota. 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,” Schumer stated in a statement on Sunday. “Senate Republicans must work with Democrats to advance the other five funding bills while we work to rewrite the DHS bill. This is [the] best course of action, and the American people are on our side.”
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Schumer’s remarks align with proposals from Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Jack Reed (D-RI), who also suggested abandoning the DHS bill in favor of passing the other five funding bills. Some Democratic senators have called for reworking the current DHS bill, which narrowly passed the House last week, although time is of the essence.
The deadline for government funding is January 30, and the Senate will not be in session on Monday due to a winter storm impacting the Northeast. If an agreement on the bill is not reached by the end of the week, a partial government shutdown will occur, marking the second such event in recent months.
Last year, a standoff over expiring COVID-era Obamacare subsidies resulted in the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, lasting 43 days.
SCHIFF SAYS HE’S NOT GIVING ICE OR BORDER PATROL ‘ANOTHER DIME’ AFTER PRETTI SHOOTING
The previous shutdown ended with a bipartisan agreement to negotiate the subsidies, but another negotiation will be necessary, given Democrats’ opposition to DHS funding, the Senate GOP’s slim majority, and the 60-vote requirement to pass appropriations bills.
The Washington Examiner has reached out to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) for his response.
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