The U.S. government is nearing the brink of a partial shutdown by the end of the week after federal immigration agents shot and killed a U.S. citizen in Minnesota on Saturday, the second such incident this month.
The Senate is set to vote this week on a massive House-passed $1.2 trillion package to fund the Department of Homeland Security, along with a wide swath of government, before the Jan. 30 deadline. But the shooting of 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis is now threatening to derail the funding package as a growing chorus of Democrats warn they will oppose it unless funding for the Department of Homeland Security is stripped out.
“Democrats sought common sense reforms in the Department of Homeland Security spending bill, but because of Republicans’ refusal to stand up to President Trump, the DHS bill is woefully inadequate to rein in the abuses of ICE. I will vote no,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., in a statement on Saturday night.
“Senate Democrats will not provide the votes to proceed to the appropriations bill if the DHS funding bill is included,” he said.
The funding package needs 60 votes to overcome the filibuster and pass the Senate. Republicans hold a 53-47 vote majority in the Senate, meaning Democratic support will be needed to pass the measure. Of the 47, two are independents who caucus with Democrats.
