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Funding for the Department of Homeland Security has lapsed, with Democrats and Republicans unable to reach an agreement on immigration enforcement policies. Democrats are advocating for changes over how federal officers conduct immigration enforcement, but Republicans are not in agreement with all of their demands.Democrats want immigration agents to wear body cameras, mandate judicial warrants for arrests on private property, and remove their masks. Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma expressed support for body cameras and enhanced federal agent training, but opposed the removal of masks and identification of federal officers.”What we want is ICE to be able to do their job. We would love for local law enforcement and for states to cooperate with us,” Mullin said.Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats are simply asking federal agents to follow rules adhered to by law enforcement agencies nationwide. “These are common sense. Police departments across America use them. We have a rogue agency. Why don’t we rein them in? That’s what the American people are asking Republicans,” Schumer said. Congress is on recess until Feb. 23, and about 90% of DHS employees will continue working during the shutdown without pay.The partial government shutdown affects agencies within DHS, including the Transportation Security Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. TSA agents are working without pay at airports across the country. That could lead to longer wait times if some of the agents don’t show up to work. We saw that take place during the 43-day government shutdown. An administrator for FEMA said its disaster relief fund has sufficient balances to continue its emergency response activities during this shutdown, but it would be significantly strained in the event of a catastrophic disaster. Keep watching for the latest from the Washington News Bureau:
Funding for the Department of Homeland Security has lapsed, with Democrats and Republicans unable to reach an agreement on immigration enforcement policies.
Democrats are advocating for changes over how federal officers conduct immigration enforcement, but Republicans are not in agreement with all of their demands.
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Democrats want immigration agents to wear body cameras, mandate judicial warrants for arrests on private property, and remove their masks.
Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma expressed support for body cameras and enhanced federal agent training, but opposed the removal of masks and identification of federal officers.
“What we want is ICE to be able to do their job. We would love for local law enforcement and for states to cooperate with us,” Mullin said.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats are simply asking federal agents to follow rules adhered to by law enforcement agencies nationwide.
“These are common sense. Police departments across America use them. We have a rogue agency. Why don’t we rein them in? That’s what the American people are asking Republicans,” Schumer said.
Congress is on recess until Feb. 23, and about 90% of DHS employees will continue working during the shutdown without pay.
The partial government shutdown affects agencies within DHS, including the Transportation Security Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
TSA agents are working without pay at airports across the country. That could lead to longer wait times if some of the agents don’t show up to work. We saw that take place during the 43-day government shutdown.
An administrator for FEMA said its disaster relief fund has sufficient balances to continue its emergency response activities during this shutdown, but it would be significantly strained in the event of a catastrophic disaster.
Keep watching for the latest from the Washington News Bureau:
