Washington, District of Columbia — Democrats are defending a bipartisan Department of Homeland Security funding bill as a way to impose limited oversight on Immigration and Customs Enforcement while rejecting calls from some progressives to shut down or defund the agency outright.
The $64 billion DHS spending package keeps ICE funding flat at roughly $10 billion, despite growing anger within the Democratic Party over aggressive immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump. Supporters of the bill argue that a government shutdown or short-term funding measure would leave ICE largely unchecked, since the agency is already sitting on $75 billion in previously approved funding.
Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said the bill introduces modest but meaningful constraints. Those include $20 million earmarked for body-worn cameras for ICE and Customs and Border Protection officers, mandatory de-escalation training, and guidance reminding officers that Americans have the right to record interactions with federal agents.
Democrats also pointed to new oversight provisions designed to track how DHS spends its expanded budget and to restrict the administration’s ability to shift funds between accounts without congressional approval. Murray and other leaders argue those guardrails would disappear under a shutdown or continuing resolution.
Still, frustration remains high among immigrant advocates and progressive lawmakers, particularly after recent ICE operations in Minnesota. With DHS funding set to expire Jan. 30, Democratic leaders say avoiding a shutdown remains a priority as they look ahead to the 2026 midterm elections.
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