Eight Republican senators broke ranks on Thursday and voted with every Democrat to block a Department of Homeland Security funding bill, setting up a potential government shutdown this Saturday.
The bill needed 60 votes to advance. It got 45. The legislation included $64.4 billion for DHS—the agency that oversees ICE and its increasingly violent deportation operations in Minneapolis.
WHAT’S GOING ON: Senate Democrats are negotiating with the Trump administration over restrictions on ICE. They want the $64.4 billion in DHS funding stripped from the broader spending bill until they reach a deal. Their demands are pretty basic—the kind of stuff you’d expect in a functioning democracy:
Ban federal immigration officers from wearing masks. Mandate body cameras and visible identification. End random immigration sweeps. Require judicial warrants for stops and searches. Force federal agents to follow the same use-of-force standards as local cops.
“No more secret police,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said on the floor. “This is a moment of truth. Congress must act to rein in ICE and end the violence.”
THE DETAILS: The Republicans who voted “no” include Ted Budd of North Carolina, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Mike Lee of Utah, Ashley Moody of Florida, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Rick Scott of Florida, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, and Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota.
Thune’s vote was reportedly procedural—voting “no” allows him to bring the bill back quickly if there’s a deal. The others? Their motivations are less clear, though some may want even harsher immigration measures.
WHY IT MATTERS: This vote comes as ICE’s occupation of Minneapolis has spiraled into chaos. Federal agents have killed two American citizens—Renee Good and Alex Pretti—in the past two weeks. Over 3,000 masked federal officers have descended on the Twin Cities, conducting door-to-door raids without body cameras or visible identification.
“The Republican majority must step up to the plate,” Schumer said. “Republicans in Congress cannot allow this violent status quo to continue. They must work with Democrats on legislation—real legislation.”
BOTTOM LINE: Democrats are using the only leverage they have—government funding—to try to force accountability on an out-of-control immigration enforcement apparatus. Whether eight Republican defections represent a genuine crack in GOP support for ICE’s tactics or just procedural maneuvering remains to be seen. But with a shutdown looming Saturday, something has to give.