Republicans accused Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., of “trying to handcuff” immigration enforcement as Democrats refused to advance a bill to keep government open on Thursday.
“Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats are trying to handcuff [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] because their party is committed to open borders,” Rep. Andy Barr, R-Ky., told The Daily Signal. “We must hold the line and support ICE.”
Schumer, motivated by the immigration enforcement-involved fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, laid out demands for keeping the government open on Wednesday.
Schumer has demanded an end to roving immigration enforcement patrols, a universal code of conduct for federal officers, tightening the use of warrants, mandating the use of body cameras, and establishing use-of-force rules. Schumer also wants to bar these officers from wearing masks while performing their duties. ICE agents and other immigration enforcement officers wear masks due to efforts to dox ICE agents.
Until those demands are met, Schumer has indicated that Democrats will continue to strike down funding legislation for the Department of Homeland Security. ICE, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Border Patrol, and the Transportation Security Administration are all under the department’s purview.
The partial government shutdown deadline is Friday.
In a statement to The Daily Signal, Rep. Mark Harris, R-N.C., described this as yet “another example of the radical Left prioritizing criminals over American citizens,” and added that Schumer’s demands are “an absolute nonstarter.”
“Republicans see through this and will not ignore the victims who have suffered and died due to the lack of immigration enforcement,” Harris added.
In the Senate, conservative lawmakers such as Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, told The Daily Signal that Schumer’s demands bring Americans closer to experiencing the “lawless days” of the previous administration.
“It’s simple: Democrats want to hamper ICE and Border Patrol because they don’t want to enforce America’s immigration laws or secure borders,” Lee stated. “They dream of returning to the lawless days of [former President] Joe Biden and [former Homeland Security Secretary] Alejandro Mayorkas. But we won’t be sabotaging the courageous men and women of federal law enforcement to make Senator Schumer happy.”
A spokesperson for Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, accused Senate Democrats of “threatening to wreak havoc with another needless shutdown unless ICE is defunded.”
“Chuck Schumer has lost control of his party to far-left lunatics who want to hold the country hostage to pass their radical agenda,” the spokesperson told The Daily Signal.
If Schumer and Senate Republicans were to compromise and draft a similar government funding bill, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., stated that she would “attach” the SAVE Act, which requires voters to present a valid photo ID before casting a ballot, to “any piece of legislation that” is sent back to the lower chamber for approval.
