The U.S. Senate blocked a DHS funding bill, heightening the risk of a partial agency shutdown while Democrats demand immigration oversight reforms.
The U.S. Senate on Thursday blocked legislation to fund the Department of Homeland Security past a Friday deadline, voting 52-47, short of the 60 votes needed to advance the bill. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said funding without reforms would empower “a rogue police force that doesn’t obey the rules that every local police force and sheriff’s office must obey.”
Republicans argued the bill included oversight measures, body camera funding, and de-escalation training. The legislation would have provided $64.4 billion for immigration enforcement, airport security, disaster response, and other DHS functions, though most operations may continue as 258,000 of 272,000 DHS employees are deemed essential.