(NewsNation) — The House is preparing to vote on a funding package that excludes the Department of Homeland Security as early as Tuesday.
If passed, the partial government would end. Senate Democrats are demanding reforms to the agency and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, including ending roving patrols, implementing clear use of force standards, and requiring agents to have their masks off and body cameras on before approving any new DHS funding.
Two sources tell NewsNation that House Democrats plan to hold a conference call on Sunday to further talk about these ongoing negotiations.
“It needs to be meaningful, and it needs to be transformative, and absent a path toward accomplishing dramatic change and making sure that ICE and DHS are conducting themselves like every other law enforcement agency in the country, then Republicans are going to cause another government shutdown,” Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, House Minority Leader, said.
Over the weekend, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., spoke by phone with Jeffries, D-N.Y.
Jeffries made it clear that Democrats would not help Republicans fast-track the spending measure. It remains unclear how much support House Republicans will give to these proposed changes, with some arguing that ICE is being unfairly targeted.
The conservative House Freedom Caucus stated, “We are not going to let Chuck Schumer defund Homeland Security to protect criminal illegal aliens one way or another. We’ll make sure that ICE and other agencies get the funding they need.”
Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., added, “I stand with the Freedom Caucus and will not bend when it comes to fully funding DHS, to funding sanctuary cities and crushing the coordinated attacks on our federal agents.”
If this partial government shutdown continues, the possible impacts include air traffic controllers and military members working without pay. Some Republicans say FEMA aid could be impacted as well.
