Saturday's shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner has done nothing to break the partisan deadlock over the Department of Homeland Security, now shuttered for more than 70 days. Republicans and Democrats remain locked in a high-stakes dispute over how to reopen the agency, with each side refusing to yield on core demands.
House Republicans seized on the incident to argue that Democrats should abandon efforts to reform immigration enforcement practices within DHS, specifically targeting ICE and Customs and Border Protection. But Democrats have rejected the framing outright. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez told Axios, "I think that the idea of using any one incidence of violence for a political end is pretty sad and unfortunate."
The Senate has already passed a bipartisan bill that would fully fund the department while excluding ICE and CBP from spending. House Speaker Mike Johnson has refused to bring it to a vote, instead passing his own version that funds the entire agency. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries made clear on Monday that Democrats will not budge.
"Donald Trump and House Republicans have now shut down the Department of Homeland Security for more than 70 days because they wanted to continue to drive their extreme immigration agenda," Jeffries said at a press conference, urging Johnson to bring the Senate bill to the floor immediately.
Johnson dismissed the Senate approach as flawed. "That bill has problematic language because it was haphazardly drafted," he told reporters. "We have a modified version that I think is going to be much better for both chambers. It doesn't change most of the substance."
Republicans have argued that reopening DHS in full is now essential since the Secret Service, the agency responsible for presidential protection, operates as a sub-agency of the department. Essential personnel are currently being paid through emergency funding.
Most House Democrats have aligned with Jeffries' position, refusing to drop their demands for immigration reforms. Rep. Greg Casar, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said Republican arguments made little sense. Rep. Susie Lee, who represents House Democrats in competitive districts, pointed out that the Senate bill already passed and Republicans simply need to vote on it. Rep. Don Davis, one of the party's most vulnerable incumbents, framed the issue as protecting all Americans, not just the president.
At least one Democrat has shown some flexibility. Rep. Jared Moskowitz of Florida, a centrist with emergency management experience, told Axios, "I think we both could give a little." He called for opening DHS while proposing that certain agencies like the Secret Service and Transportation Security Administration be removed from the department altogether through bipartisan legislation he introduced.
The clash between Senate Republican leader John Thune and Speaker Johnson over the impasse on Monday underscored just how far apart the two chambers remain, with no clear path to resolution.
Author James Rodriguez: "This shutdown has become purely about political leverage on immigration, and a shooting at the capital's most important media event isn't going to change minds that are already made up."
Comments