What are our politicians doing about ICE?
It looks like senators who voted to end the last shutdown are lining up for another government shutdown on 30 January unless DHS funding is stripped from the minibus bill, or unless major changes in ICE practices are codified in law.
Stripping funding is meaningless:
“ . . . if the government or DHS shuts down, ICE will keep running. That’s because of an unprecedented $75 billion boost in funding the agency received from Trump’s so-called Big Beautiful Bill that Republicans passed unilaterally last year.”
What are Democrats doing?
“Democrats who oppose the funding bill include several centrists who voted to end last year’s government shutdown, the longest in history.
“The abuses of power we are seeing from ICE in Minneapolis and across the country are un-American and cannot be normalized,” Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), one of eight Senate Democrats who sided with Republicans in reopening the federal government in November, said in a statement on Saturday. “No one wants criminals in our country, but that’s not who this administration is going after. They’re targeting law-abiding immigrants who just want to support their families and live the American Dream.”
“Enough is enough. We need to rein in ICE’s out of control conduct,” she added.
“Rosen was joined by her fellow Nevada Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, who also voted to end the government shutdown last month. Cortez Masto also called on Senate leaders to strip DHS funding from a broader package that includes funding for five other government agencies.”
Sen. Tina Smith wrote on X. “For those asking where we go from here: Not voting to fund ICE is a great place for us to start”
Sen. Amy Klobuchar said: “We oppose the ICE funding bill. We call for a full and transparent investigation with state officials.”
What are Republicans doing?
“Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, is indeed looking into strip funding for DHS out of the larger spending package, a spokesperson for the senator confirmed to HuffPost.
“Stripping DHS funding from the package would likely require unanimous consent or a vote on the Senate floor. It’s unclear whether that would succeed. Republicans have little interest in making Democrats’ lives easier by stripping out DHS funding that’s dividing their party.”
And in a post on X, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) emotes: “The events in Minneapolis are incredibly disturbing. The credibility of ICE and DHS are at stake,” the senator wrote. “There must be a full joint federal and state investigation.”
So Republicans won’t do anything. But they can’t pass the bill without seven Democrats.
Meanwhile, what are third party presidential candidates doing?
Nothing.
Senators threaten shutdown over ICE
Stripping funding is meaningless:
“ . . . if the government or DHS shuts down, ICE will keep running. That’s because of an unprecedented $75 billion boost in funding the agency received from Trump’s so-called Big Beautiful Bill that Republicans passed unilaterally last year.”
What are Democrats doing?
“Democrats who oppose the funding bill include several centrists who voted to end last year’s government shutdown, the longest in history.
“The abuses of power we are seeing from ICE in Minneapolis and across the country are un-American and cannot be normalized,” Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), one of eight Senate Democrats who sided with Republicans in reopening the federal government in November, said in a statement on Saturday. “No one wants criminals in our country, but that’s not who this administration is going after. They’re targeting law-abiding immigrants who just want to support their families and live the American Dream.”
“Enough is enough. We need to rein in ICE’s out of control conduct,” she added.
“Rosen was joined by her fellow Nevada Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, who also voted to end the government shutdown last month. Cortez Masto also called on Senate leaders to strip DHS funding from a broader package that includes funding for five other government agencies.”
Sen. Tina Smith wrote on X. “For those asking where we go from here: Not voting to fund ICE is a great place for us to start”
Sen. Amy Klobuchar said: “We oppose the ICE funding bill. We call for a full and transparent investigation with state officials.”
What are Republicans doing?
“Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, is indeed looking into strip funding for DHS out of the larger spending package, a spokesperson for the senator confirmed to HuffPost.
“Stripping DHS funding from the package would likely require unanimous consent or a vote on the Senate floor. It’s unclear whether that would succeed. Republicans have little interest in making Democrats’ lives easier by stripping out DHS funding that’s dividing their party.”
And in a post on X, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) emotes: “The events in Minneapolis are incredibly disturbing. The credibility of ICE and DHS are at stake,” the senator wrote. “There must be a full joint federal and state investigation.”
So Republicans won’t do anything. But they can’t pass the bill without seven Democrats.
Meanwhile, what are third party presidential candidates doing?
Nothing.
Senators threaten shutdown over ICE
If we’re going to shut down the government, let’s make it worthwhile. It must include: ACA subsidies extension; Epstein Special Master & compliance; & ICE required warrants for serious criminal felonies only; no face masks; & body cams. No, civil infractions or criminal misdemeanors.
Also, don’t forget, In Sep. 2025, in Noem v. Vasquez Perdomo, SCOTUS (6-3) stayed a lower court decision. Thus, SCOTUS allowed DHS/ICE to continue using individuals’ skin color, profession, spoken language, and location to justify stops without a warrant. Congress could act to render this moot.
And finally, if Congress really wanted to do something without shutting down the government, Hakeem Jeffries could immediately call for discharge petitions for existing bills requiring ICE warrants, no masks, & body cams. There’s widespread public, Democratic & Independent support, with some Republican support too. This could snowball just like the Epstein and ACA discharge petitions.
@JP,
I like your wish list, but Republicans can block cloture, too. And for any bill to become law, Trump will have to sign it. So when you get back from the wonderful land of Oz, it will be useful to think about what is feasible.
Trump signed the Epstein law, unbelievably! Overwhelming public support + pressured and overwhelming Republican support is necessary. As bad as the Epstein violations were; killing innocent U.S. citizens on the city streets is worse. I think the public pressure is there. Maybe that’s Oz-like; I’d like to hope not.
@JP,
LOL! And where are the Epstein papers? Trump signed off the Epstein papers like he signed off on business contracts–he knew he and his DoJ wouldn’t honor the law.
Still out there in the wonderful land of Oz with a hope and a prayer and ultimate faith in the American people. Just can’t help myself.
@JP,
Bless your heart. America needs more folks like you.
Thanks, you can read more of my Oz-like, alt-reality commentary on The Fulcrum at: https://tinyurl.com/3dzk2mf2
J.P.
Angry Bear does accept guest posts. Joel and I would accept yours.
One thing that could be done without shutting down the government is encouraging the local law enforcement and prosecutor in Minneapolis to investigate and prosecute the responsible federal agents for the killings. It wouldn’t be quick and would involve extensive legal activity but could be done. The probable charges would be manslaughter in Good’s case and murder in the nurse’s case. They may do it on their own. I hope they do.
@Jack,
Apparently an issue is that the feds are withholding evidence from state and local authorities. Not sure how you prosecute if you don’t have access to all the evidence.
@Jack,
According to HuffPo, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s office said President Donald Trump agreed in their Monday morning call to share evidence with state and local officials so they can conduct an independent investigation into Saturday’s shooting death of Minneapolis resident Alex Pretti by immigration agents.
That’s good news. I guess Trump realizes he’s on the losing end of public opinion in this situation.
@Joel,
The state has access to the various videos, the autopsy reports (the local government , not the feds, do the autopsies, as well as private ones done by the families), and can convene grand juries to issue subpoenas for witnesses including the federal agents. Anything a federal agent defendant might use in defense, if charged, would have to be produced in discovery. I’m not saying it wouldn’t be easier with federal cooperation. I’m saying it’s still possible. If pursued here, it might give the ICE and CBP agents some incentive to restrain their worst impulses.
@Jack,
Thanks for this helpful clarification.
Joel:
Jack is one of those upper-level attorneys. If he is talking about it, you can be sure he is correct.