President Donald Trump’s firing of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem will not break the DHS funding logjam, Democrats said on Thursday.
Trump announced the firing in a TruthSocial post Thursday, naming Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., as her replacement. Her axing comes amid a funding lapse for DHS that began Feb. 14, as Democrats try to negotiate new immigration enforcement policies within the agency to dial back what they say has been overreach.
“Not one bit,” Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., said on Thursday when asked if her departure changed DHS funding dynamics. “Not until we have clear assurances that ICE and CBP behavior is going to improve and they’re going to start behaving like real police officers and not running around like a bunch of thugs and crazies.”
Democrats have demanded sweeping changes at DHS after federal agents shot and killed two U.S. citizens during an immigration crackdown in Minneapolis in January. Democrats maintained their position after the U.S. entered a conflict with Iran over the weekend, heightening concerns about retaliation from Iran and its supporters.
They have called for federal immigration agents to cease wearing masks, begin wearing body cameras and end warrantless searches, among other things. The White House and Republicans have pushed back on those demands, as the partial government shutdown drags on.
