Democratic lawmakers plan to introduce legislation to reform Immigration and Customs Enforcement following the fatal shooting of a 37-year-old mom in Minneapolis — and some are discussing an effort to blockade Department of Homeland Security funding to force the issue.
According to Axios, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT), top Democrat on the Senate appropriations subcommittee, which oversees the Department of Homeland Security, is "trying to build a coalition of Democrats to insist on the changes as a condition of their support for a spending bill for the department — with funding set to lapse Jan. 30."
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has signaled the votes aren't there for a full government shutdown at the end of the month, similar to the weekslong standoff over Affordable Care Act subsidies last year, but Murphy is hoping for a targeted fight over DHS funding.
"Murphy and his staff are in conversations with lawmakers from Minnesota, California and Illinois, where DHS has deployed large contingents of agents, a source familiar with the talks told Axios," said the report. Speaking to the outlet, Murphy said, "It's hard to imagine how Democrats are going to vote for a DHS bill that funds this level of illegality and violence without constraints. There's gotta be some reasonable constraints."
Under Murphy's proposal, Border Patrol officers would be limited to operations at the border; DHS could not conduct interior arrests without a warrant; and ICE agents would be prohibited from wearing masks, would have to wear identification, and would be restricted from using firearms in civil enforcement operations.
There is currently no indication that any Republicans are on board with these proposals. However, the report noted, "Republicans will need a handful of Democratic votes in the Senate to pass spending bills," and "Absent a bipartisan agreement, Democrats' [could] try to block, or at least vote against, a DHS funding bill or a stopgap measure for the department."