House moves to end partial shutdown as immigration reforms fuel debate
The push is on in Washington to pull the federal government out of a partial shutdown, with some federal workers furloughed once again.
(NBC)- The push is on in Washington to pull the federal government out of a partial shutdown, with some federal workers furloughed once again. House lawmakers are set to vote today on a Senate-passed funding package as leaders race to prevent a prolonged standoff.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said he is confident he has the votes needed to pass the measure, emphasizing the urgency of restoring funding for critical services.
“We’ve got FEMA, and TSA, and troop pay and everything else wrapped into this,” Johnson said. “So we’ve got to get the job done.”
The package would fully fund most of the federal government, but provides only two weeks of funding for the Department of Homeland Security. That short-term extension sets up intense negotiations over immigration enforcement reforms, a key demand from Democrats amid growing unrest following the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal officers in Minnesota.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said the public is demanding accountability.
“The American people are correctly demanding accountability,” Jeffries said. “The American people want to see the masks come off.”
One demand has already been addressed. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that all federal immigration officers in Minneapolis will be equipped with body cameras, with plans to expand the program nationwide as funding allows. President Donald Trump voiced support for the move.
“They generally tend to be good for law enforcement, because people can’t lie about what’s happening,” Trump said.
The president is also urging both parties to pass the funding package without changes, pledging to work with lawmakers to address concerns afterward. Still, reaching consensus on the future of Immigration and Customs Enforcement remains a major hurdle.
Republicans have signaled they will not retreat from their immigration enforcement priorities. Senator Eric Schmitt rejected Democratic proposals he says would weaken ICE operations.
“If the Democrats want to throw out these ridiculous proposals that make it harder for ICE to do their job, that’s just not going to happen,” Schmitt said.
With the vote looming, lawmakers say the goal is to reopen the government quickly and avoid a drawn-out confrontation that could again put funding at risk for DHS agencies, including FEMA and TSA.
