Senate Vote Keeps DHS Shut

A standoff over immigration enforcement is keeping much of the Department of Homeland Security unfunded, with the Senate again voting to not advance a spending bill on Thursday. The measure to finance DHS was rejected 51-46, short of the 60 votes needed; all Democrats except Sen. John Fetterman opposed it, the New York Times reports. Democrats say they will not support new money for the department without statutory limits on immigration enforcement, after federal agents fatally shot two US citizens in Minneapolis earlier this year during a crackdown that has since been scaled back.

As a result, the Transportation Security Administration, FEMA, the Coast Guard, and a federal cybersecurity office remain without regular funding, and many employees have gone unpaid since the shutdown began Feb. 14. Border and immigration enforcement agencies are running on a separate allocation approved by Republicans last year. Democrats have proposed funding parts of DHS individually, including TSA, to pay workers while negotiations with the White House continue over tightening rules for federal immigration officers. They're insisting on ending the use of masked officers and random street roundups, adding a requirement for body cameras, and mandating judge-issued warrants for arrests and home searches.

Republicans have rejected what they call a piecemeal strategy and instead want a short-term, unconditional extension of DHS funding for two weeks to allow more talks, a plan Democrats have so far resisted. Tension has been building, per the Times. "This cannot continue this way," said Republican Sen. Susan Collins on the floor. "You have lost this argument," Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy told Republicans. "The public does not want ICE to continue operating the way they have been operating." It was the fourth spending bill rejected in four weeks. After the vote, senators left Washington for the weekend, per Politico, so the shutdown will reach its one-month anniversary on Friday.