House Democrats Split on DHS Funding Bill Amid ICE Concerns

House Democrats have signaled they are likely to align with Republicans on a bill that would fund the Department of Homeland Security, while others within their party are weighing whether to join them.

Rep. Jared Golden of Maine indicated he was “probably” supportive of the legislation and described himself as “generally supportive of giving law enforcement the resources they need.”

Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas stated: “It’s not everything we wanted. We wanted more oversight. But look, Democrats don’t control the House. We don’t control the Senate or the White House. But we were able to add some oversight over Homeland.”

Another House Democrat told reporters he expected “10 or fewer” in his party to support the bill.

Some Democratic members argue that the measure does not adequately address President Donald Trump’s mass deportation efforts.

House Democratic leaders Hakeem Jeffries of New York, Katherine Clark of Massachusetts, and Pete Aguilar of California announced in a closed-door meeting they would oppose the DHS bill.

Their members are demanding a forceful response to the Republican president’s immigration crackdown, most recently in the Minneapolis area where more than 2,000 officers were stationed. There, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer fatally shot Renee Good, a mother of three.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, stated: “There’s a very big concern about ICE being out of control.”

This year’s DHS bill holds ICE spending at roughly the same level as last year and restricts Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s ability to unilaterally shift funding and allocate federal dollars.

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., expressed optimism that the funding bills would pass, including the DHS measure. He noted he could afford a few defections given the GOP’s razor-thin majority.

The overall funding package before the House on Thursday contains roughly $1.2 trillion in spending, with approximately two-thirds allocated to the Department of War. Other departments funded through this package include Health and Human Services, Education, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development.

Most federal spending remains unaffected by the yearly battles in Congress, notably Social Security and Medicare.