The US is operating without a fully funded Department of Homeland Security — the nation’s first line of defense against terror threats especially during conflicts — prompting dire warnings from the GOP.
“This is certainly not the time to play games,” House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rick Crawford (R-Ark.) told Fox News on Saturday — as Tehran was vowing deadly retribution against the US over its joint strikes with Israel against Iran.
“If this doesn’t move the needle for our Democrat friends, I don’t know what does,” Crawford said, referring to the dangerous international situation and the Dems’ stalling over additional funding for the crucial agency.
Republicans were ramping up the pressure on Democrats to end the partial DHS funding shutdown that has raged on since Feb. 14.
Crawford is a member of the “Gang of Eight,” a group of four Republicans and four Democrats who get access to the most highly classified briefings given to Congress.
The US strikes on Iran with Israel under Operation Epic Fury began hours after a slew of federal workers at DHS were hit with their first major lapse in full pay during the funding shutdown.
Democrats have leveraged the current 60-vote Senate filibuster scenario to block funding for DHS to issue demands for sweeping reforms to immigration enforcement policy. A DHS funding measure has already cleared the House.
The Dems’ demands came in response to the shootings of anti-ICE protesters Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis in January. The Trump administration has since ended its related Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota.
Just last week, the White House made a counteroffer to Democrats.
Some of the sticking points are Democrats’ demands for judicial warrant requirements for immigration enforcement raids and a ban on federal agents wearing masks. Both of those points are red lines for Republicans.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement and US Customs and Border Protection are already funded under the One Big Beautiful Bill. But other critical DHS agencies, such as the Transportation Security Administration and Coast Guard, are not.
The urgent concerns for DHS funding have done little to sway Democrats who are locked in on the shutdown.
“They went to war with Iran (which nobody in America was asking for) so they could conjure an excuse to allow ICE to keep murdering Americans and teargassing schools here at home with impunity (which nobody in America was asking for),” Sen Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) claimed of the GOP on X.
Republicans only need seven or eight defections in the Senate. Both chambers of Congress are set to reconvene this week.
“When the Senate gavels in next week, the very first order of business should be simple: fund the Department of Homeland Security,” Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) wrote on X.
“Chuck Schumer & Democrats should stop blocking a vote on the funding bill,” he said, referring to the New York senator. “Protecting the homeland isn’t partisan — it’s fundamental.”
Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) also grumbled on the platform, “Congress funded countless priorities that Dems requested.
“The least Dems can do is fund Homeland Security.”
Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) added on X, “Given the situation in the Middle East and the potential for Iran and its terrorist proxies to attempt some type of attack, it is imperative that [Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer] and [House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries] immediately drop all opposition to funding the Department of Homeland Security and pass the funding bill.”
