A Democrat lawmaker in Congress escalated the battle over a looming budget reconciliation bill this week, accusing Republicans of prioritizing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) over the economic needs of American families.
“Republicans seem to have a different priority … $140 billion for ICE and border patrol with no reforms, no accountability, no strings attached,” he said. “Let it sink in. $140 billion for ICE. Zero dollars to lower your cost.”
Schumer gave his remarks after House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) revealed a partisan leverage strategy where he said a partial funding bill is an attempt to isolate and defund immigration enforcement by separating it from the rest of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)'s agencies.
Johnson has touted a reconciliation process as a way to fully fund the agency, including ICE and CBP, while Democrats have refused to fund ICE and Border Patrol without restrictions on immigration enforcement practices.
“There's a concern on our side that if you do the bulk of the Department first, before that, that they could be left out,” Johnson said of ICE and CBP. “We can't allow for that. So, we're working through that.”
The shutdown entered its second month last week since the DHS funding lapse began on Feb. 13.
In addition to ICE and CBP, DHS agencies include the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the U.S. Coast Guard, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the U.S. Secret Service (USSS).
“Americans don't want blank checks for enforcement,” Schumer said. “They want accountability. Americans don't want shutdowns for FEMA, the Coast Guard, TSA, or CISA. They want those agencies funded and working.”
A reconciliation package, also known as a reconciliation bill, is a legislative maneuver used to fast-track budget bills that would bypass the demands of Democratic members of Congress.
A simple majority in the U.S. Senate for Republicans requires 51 votes.
Democrat members of Congress plan to use the reconciliation’s marathon voting session, known as "voterama,” to show the contrast between the two political parties, according to Schumer.
"Democrats have made our choice: more money in Americans' pockets," he added. "Republicans have made their choice: money for Trump’s mass agents and their lawless conduct. That’s their priority ... Democrats are gonna make sure the country sees the contrast loud and clear."