Agreeing to the short-term Department of Homeland Security funding bill always carried risks, but available options were limited. Both parties preferred to avoid another prolonged government shutdown. While most of the government is funded through September under the new framework, DHS funding remains a contentious issue following the nationwide ICE raids, particularly in Minneapolis, where two radical leftists were killed while attempting to interfere with police operations.
With funding depleting, Rep. Sydney Kai Kamlager-Dove (D-CA) openly admitted that her primary concern isn’t the impact on constituents if DHS funding is cut. Instead, it’s about standing against ICE and permitting illegal alien offenders, including murderers, rapists, and drug kingpins, go free. CNN pulled that answer out of her:
Democrat Sydney Kamlager-Dove doesn't care when she's reminded about the dangers of another Democrat shutdown.
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) February 12, 2026
CNN: ICE won't be impacted by the shutdown, but your district will. Why are you still supporting another shutdown?
KAMLAGER-DOVE: "It's the principle." pic.twitter.com/7dH283QReY
The Alex Pretti shooting on January 24 killed the House package, as no Senate Democrats were going to sign off on it. President Trump and Chuck Schumer struck a deal, splitting the bills, passing the bulk of them, and providing a stopgap on DHS to negotiate a larger spending bill.
Democrats want to engulf the ICE deportation operation in so much legalese and procedure as to make it irrelevant. It’s a no-go on their warrant demands for the federal immigration agency.
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