US Homeland Security Department Shuts Down Amid ICE Raid Impasse

The Department of Homeland Security shut down early Saturday amid a congressional funding impasse that shows no sign of ending soon, touched off by backlash over the Trump administration’s widespread and aggressive immigration enforcement raids.

The lapse in funding could last for weeks, with Congress on a recess and no agreement on Democratic demands to enact new limits on the tactics employed by immigration officers patrolling American cities.

The effects of the shutdown will be limited, but would grow over time. Unlike the record 43-day shutdown late last year, most US departments are funding through Sept. 30. In addition, more than 90% of DHS employees are deemed essential and will continue to work during the shutdown.

That means immigration raids, citizenship processing, airport security, cybersecurity and Coast Guard activities will continue for the duration of the shutdown. Workers outside of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection would miss a paycheck due after two weeks. That could lead to service delays and, eventually, long security lines at American airports.

Federal law enforcement agents detain a demonstrator during a raid in Minneapolis on Jan. 13.

Photographer: Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg

“The administration will continue to seek good-faith, bipartisan solutions to complete the appropriations process and avoid another damaging government shutdown,” Russ Vought, director of the White House’s Office of Management and Budget, wrote in a memo ordering the department to begin implementing its shutdown plans.

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Because the funding lapse is only limited to DHS, economic data that markets rely on will not be impeded this time and defense contractors will not face payment delays. Air traffic controllers, whose unpaid absences caused widespread flight cancellations that helped build pressure to end last year’s shutdown, would continue working without interruption.

Additionally, immigration and border security — the key items Democrats seek to change — “have ample funding” already provided from the Trump tax cut law, Vought emphasized.

Revised Demands

Top Democrats said Friday that they were preparing to send a revised list of demands to the White House as negotiations continue over limiting ICE activities. Democrats have sought to require body cameras and judicial warrants, forbid the use of masks and expand the ability of individuals to sue DHS for alleged misconduct.

The revised offer came after the White House late Wednesday sent a still-secret proposal outlining what changes President Donald Trump would be prepared to accept. The administration has shown openness to requiring body cameras among other limited steps.

“We will respond to the unserious offer that Republicans have made that clearly omits things that need to happen,” US House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters hours before the shutdown began, faulting Republicans for not being willing to make needed changes.

The Democratic demands arose after the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, both US citizens, during recent enforcement operations in Minneapolis. Their deaths generated widespread outrage and led Democrats to declare they wouldn’t approve even temporary funding for ICE and CBP without changes.

The Democrats have proposed financing other activities within DHS including transportation security while talks continue.

Minnesota Drawdown

An announcement by Trump administration border czar Tom Homan on Thursday that the surge of ICE and CBP agents to Minnesota would be coming to an end did not convince Democrats to drop their Senate blockade of ICE funding.

Democratic Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona said Friday on Bloomberg Television he wouldn’t send DHS immigration enforcement “more resources that will go towards violating the rights of the American people.”

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“This agency needs to be overhauled. People need to be fired. Why are they in uniforms that tactical operators in Fallujah wear?” Kelly added. “They seem to not follow any reasonable use of force criteria.”

Republicans said that Democrats were not showing flexibility in the negotiations and should have allowed a two-week funding extension while talks continue. The Senate failed to clear such an extension on Thursday before heading out on a week-long recess.

“It’s clear we are operating in good faith, we are working to find a pathway forward,” Senator Katie Britt, an Alabama Republican, said on the Senate floor Thursday before her two-week stopgap bill was blocked. “And the fact that people who have stepped up to serve their country are not going to receive a paycheck, to me, is just totally, completely unacceptable.”

--With assistance from Kailey Leinz and Joe Mathieu.

To contact the reporters on this story:
Erik Wasson in Washington at ewasson@bloomberg.net;
Matt Shirley in Washington at mshirley10@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story:
Megan Scully at mscully32@bloomberg.net

Derek Wallbank, John Harney

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