DHS shutdown imminent after Senate Democrats block Homeland Security bill

The Hill ^ | 02/12/26 2:07 PM ET | Alexander Bolton

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Senate Democrats voted Thursday to block a motion to advance a House-passed bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security, putting Washington on the brink of a partial government shutdown that will affect more than 260,000 federal employees.

The motion, which required 60 votes, failed to advance by a vote of 52-47.

Centrist Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), who has a long-standing policy of voting against government shutdowns, was the only Democrat to vote for advancing the measure.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) voted no for procedural reasons to be able to bring the bill back to the floor quickly at a later date.

Shortly after, Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) attempted to get unanimous consent to move a two-week stopgap bill, but Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) objected.

Democrats blocked the legislation after rejecting an offer from the White House they said didn’t go far enough to reform immigration enforcement operations after the fatal shootings of two protesters in Minneapolis last month.

As a result, funding for key agencies such as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Coast Guard will lapse Saturday without further action from Congress.

The agencies that are the main targets of Democratic fury, however, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), will be able to continue operations without much disruption.

Both agencies received tens of billions of dollars through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which President Trump signed into law last year.

“Democrats have been very clear. We will not support an extension of the status quo, a status quo that permits masked secret police to barge into people’s homes without warrants, no guardrails, zero oversight from independent authorities,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said before the vote.

Schumer acknowledged that White House border...

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TOPICS: Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: immigration; partylinevote; schumershutdown

[Nevernikki]

Let God arise and His enemies be scattered!!

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Dems love their criminals, illegal voters, and NGO Gravy Train far more than they love America and Americans.

[MinorityRepublican]

The motion, which required 60 votes, failed to advance by a vote of 52-47.

The last time I checked, it was over 50...a simple majority is all what is needed.

[butlerweave]

Blue states will get overrun with Zombies ,LOL

[whatexit]

Ok. So.... instead of forcing them to work without pay (for now), just shut down the effected agencies - No TSA. Nobody can fly, except for military, AF1, etc. No commercial flights.

Hey, they're calling for a general strike anyway. So give them a taste.

Trump could order the CG to transfer control to. the US Navy, temporarily.

[Miami Rebel]

The one thing I’d like curbed is ICE’s use of administrative warrants (vs. judicial warrants) to break down the doors of US citizens’ homes.

They’re called I-205 warrants, and they’re signed off by bureaucrats within ICE rather than an actual court.

[Libloather]

"We will not support an extension of the status quo, a status quo that permits masked secret police to barge into people’s homes without warrants, no guardrails, zero oversight from independent authorities,”

Over the years, how many times was it voted for? 20?

[Rastus]

Don’t throw me in that briar patch! Homeland and the TSA should never have existed. Seems like the perfect opportunity to delete them.

[Candor7]

They want a civil war.

[rod5591]

I wish the Democrats had done this 24 years ago when Dubya first forced this monstrosity of a Federal Agency on the American people.

[Sam Gamgee]

What does this mean? Does it mean all full time employees of Homeland Security are on unpaid leave until the Democrats relent?

[Sam Gamgee]

Good idea but not liking that we will be putting a hold on dealing with would be international terrorists. That’s on the Democrats.

[Twink]

Why would they? Just like No Child Left Behind and TSA, Bush 2 did what the dems/uniparty/deep state wanted. He also wanted Amnesty but didn’t get that, just left our border wide open after 911!

After Reagan, there hasn’t been an America First President until Trump, who isn’t in the “club.”

And we have many posters here who hate President Trump and his America First Agenda. I knew the TDS was strong here but had no idea how strong until recently.

[SENTINEL]

"They want a civil war."

If Trump doesn't arrest the RINGLEADERS FUNDING/ORGANIZING/ENCOURAGING it, they will have it. The left is already shooting.

[ActresponsiblyinVA]

Who will support the status quo where millions of illegal immigrants are allowed to roam the country and harm US citizens?

[Fledermaus]

He opposed it initially but was out numbered

[HYPOCRACY]

I hope the Republicans can take back the Senate this year.

[Republican Wildcat]

The last time I checked, it was over 50...a simple majority is all what is needed.

Cloture motions require 60 votes...Senate Rule 22.

[Republican Wildcat]

“Democrats have been very clear. We will not support an extension of the status quo, a status quo that permits masked secret police to barge into people’s homes without warrants, no guardrails, zero oversight from independent authorities,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said before the vote.

Which had nothing to do with the bill before them and not passing it doesn't effect that at all. Just like the "Obamacare" corporate subsidies had nothing to do with last year's continuing resolution they blocked to shut the government down.

All lies...all the time.