Partial US shutdown looms amid political stand-off over ICE reform
After a 43-day shutdown late last year, US Senate Democrats demand immigration reforms to avert another one
US Senate Democrats are threatening to block legislation that would fund the Department of Homeland Security and several other agencies on Thursday, potentially bringing the US government a step closer to a partial shutdown if Republicans and the White House do not agree to new restrictions on US President Donald Trump’s surge of immigration enforcement.
As the country reels from the deaths of two protesters at the hands of federal agents in Minneapolis, irate Senate Democrats laid out a list of demands ahead of a Thursday morning test vote, including that officers take off their masks and identify themselves and obtain warrants for arrest.
If those are not met, Democrats say they are prepared to block the wide-ranging spending bill, denying Republicans the votes they need to pass it and triggering a shutdown at midnight on Friday.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said on Wednesday that Democrats won’t provide needed votes until US Immigration and Customs Enforcement is “reined in and overhauled”.
“The American people support law enforcement, they support border security, they do not support ICE terrorising our streets and killing American citizens,” Schumer said.