Talks to avert a US government shutdown have intensified in Washington DC, with a deal reportedly edging closer amid a political drama following the fatal shooting of a nurse by federal immigration agents. Prompted by the death of 37-year-old Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, Democrats are pushing to remove funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from a $1.2 trillion spending bill unless additional oversight is added. US media report that the White House and Senate Democratic leadership are nearing an agreement which would meet Democratic demands to introduce new restrictions on federal immigration agents. That would mean five of the six spending bills could be passed before the Friday deadline, while the DHS one would get a short-term extension to allow time for more discussion on the proposed new restrictions, like around the use of masks by agents. If no deal is struck, the second shutdown within months will begin at one minute after midnight on Friday, January 30.
The spending bill has already passed in the House of Representatives but needs 60 Senate votes to advance. Among the changes Democrats are seeking are requirements that federal agents obtain warrants before making arrests and clearer rules governing how they identify themselves, according to US media reports. There are only 53 Republican senators in the 100-member body, meaning that passing the bill will require at least some support from Democratic members. Earlier this week, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said, I will vote no on any legislation that funds ICE until it is reined in and overhauled, and Senate Democrats are overwhelmingly united on this issue.
Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune has said that productive negotiations are ongoing. However, if changes are made, the bill will need to be re-approved by the House, which is currently on recess. On Wednesday, some Senate Democrats escalated their demands, expressly calling for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's removal, and structural changes to both Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and US Border Patrol. This madness, Schumer said, this terror must stop.
Some Republicans pushed back, with Texas's John Cornyn saying that any changes must not come at the expense of shutting down the government. If a shutdown occurs, it would not impact the entirety of the US federal government, but could lead to disruptions in operations involving various departments, including the Internal Revenue Service.
The spending bill has already passed in the House of Representatives but needs 60 Senate votes to advance. Among the changes Democrats are seeking are requirements that federal agents obtain warrants before making arrests and clearer rules governing how they identify themselves, according to US media reports. There are only 53 Republican senators in the 100-member body, meaning that passing the bill will require at least some support from Democratic members. Earlier this week, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said, I will vote no on any legislation that funds ICE until it is reined in and overhauled, and Senate Democrats are overwhelmingly united on this issue.
Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune has said that productive negotiations are ongoing. However, if changes are made, the bill will need to be re-approved by the House, which is currently on recess. On Wednesday, some Senate Democrats escalated their demands, expressly calling for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's removal, and structural changes to both Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and US Border Patrol. This madness, Schumer said, this terror must stop.
Some Republicans pushed back, with Texas's John Cornyn saying that any changes must not come at the expense of shutting down the government. If a shutdown occurs, it would not impact the entirety of the US federal government, but could lead to disruptions in operations involving various departments, including the Internal Revenue Service.
