Senate Democrats and Republicans have reached a tentative deal to separate Department of Homeland Security funding from other appropriations bills, allowing approval of five bipartisan measures while negotiating a two-week stopgap for DHS. The agreement follows the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis by federal agents and comes as Democrats demand reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement practices. A short-term partial government shutdown remains likely before funding expires Friday midnight.
The U.S. Senate is advancing a compromise to prevent a lengthy government shutdown, but a brief closure appears unavoidable. On Thursday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announced that Republicans agreed to decouple DHS funding from a package of five other appropriations bills already passed by the House. This would enable senators to approve the five bills and vote on a separate two-week funding extension for DHS, buying time for negotiations on reforms demanded by Democrats in response to recent ICE actions, including the shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday by federal agents. Pretti's death has intensified calls for changes, with Democrats refusing to support the full $1.3 trillion six-bill package without them. Earlier Thursday, the Senate failed a procedural vote on the complete package, 45-55, with eight Republicans joining Democrats in opposition. Schumer stated, 'Until ICE is properly reined in and overhauled legislatively, the DHS funding bill doesn't have the votes to pass.' Key demands include requiring judicial warrants instead of administrative ones for immigration arrests, mandating body cameras and identification for agents, banning masks, establishing a uniform code of conduct and use-of-force rules, ensuring independent investigations involving state and local police, and limiting ICE roving patrols to within one air mile of borders, down from 100. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., emphasized, 'If you're going to go into someone's home, you need a judicially signed warrant. None of these administrative warrants signed within DHS.' Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., called for a task force for independent probes, noting ICE's past tactics like using smoke grenades in Chicago. Republicans, led by Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., expressed reluctance to alter the package, citing challenges in the House, which is in recess until Monday. Thune said, 'It's really important, if possible, to do it here and not to have to send it back to the House.' President Trump endorsed the deal on social media, urging a bipartisan vote. Critics, including ICE sources, argue judicial warrants would halt most arrests, equating to 'no more immigration arrests' and effectively granting amnesty to non-criminal undocumented immigrants. Some rank-and-file Republicans signal support for splitting the bills amid the political stakes of Pretti's death. If unresolved by Friday midnight, funding lapses could affect DHS, Defense, and Health and Human Services, though weekend closures might limit immediate impacts. Democrats distrust executive orders as alternatives, insisting on statutory changes.
