Senate Republicans are scrambling to save a funding package that needs to pass by Friday to avoid a partial government shutdown, but they are meeting strong resistance from Democrats who are furious over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) tactics in Minneapolis.
Republican lawmakers are suggesting that President Trump might agree to executive actions to ease the tensions in Minneapolis after a Border Patrol agent shot and killed 37-year-old Alex Pretti on Saturday.
But Trump and Democratic leaders would need to reach an understanding quickly to avoid a partial shutdown Saturday, when funding for the departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services and an array of other federal departments and agencies is due to expire.
Congress on Monday took a step closer toward a partial shutdown when Republicans dismissed a demand by Senate Democrats to drop funding for Homeland Security from the funding package passed by the House last week.
The House-passed bill would allocate another $10 billion for ICE on top of the $76 billion the agency is slated to receive over four years from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which Trump signed into law last year.
Key GOP senators said Monday they want to preserve the entire six-bill package, including the annual Homeland Security appropriations measure.
“I remain hopeful, certainly have been talking and listening to my Democratic colleagues,” said Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.), the chair of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee.
