Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer apparently believes that another government shutdown will be politically favorable to Democrats, even though it wasn’t when he and his party kept the federal apparatus closed for the longest period on record last fall. And the hill he’s chosen to die on is one that his party very well may die on.
Schumer (D-NY) is urging Republican lawmakers to steer clear of another government shutdown by cutting funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). His call to action follows two tragic shootings this month involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol officers in Minneapolis.
Schumer released a statement on Sunday saying, “What’s happening in Minnesota is appalling—and unacceptable in any American city.”
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“Democrats sought common sense reforms in the Department of Homeland Security spending bill, but because of Republicans’ refusal to stand up to President Trump, the DHS bill is woefully inadequate to rein in the abuses of ICE,” Schumer continued. “I will vote no. “Senate Democrats will not provide the votes to proceed to the appropriations bill if the DHS funding bill is included.”
What’s happening in Minnesota is appalling—and unacceptable in any American city. Democrats sought common sense reforms in the Department of Homeland Security spending bill, but because of Republicans’ refusal to stand up to President Trump, the DHS bill is woefully inadequate to…
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) January 24, 2026
Other Democrats are raising concerns about how much funding to allocate to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as Congress aims to pass a major spending bill to prevent another partial government shutdown at the end of the month.
The House has already approved a package that would provide approximately $64.4 billion to DHS, which includes around $10 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), keeping funding levels on par with the current budget.
Only seven House Democrats broke ranks to support the bill alongside Republicans. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) stated that they opposed the measure due to its lack of meaningful restrictions on ICE activities.
Mind you, Schumer can continue to be elected in his deep blue state of New York until he takes his last breath (or until AOC decides she wants his seat). So doubling down on a shutdown is nothing to him.
But he’s choosing the issue of ‘defunding the police’ – in this case, ICE – the agency most linked to President Donald Trump’s mass deportation efforts, an issue that helped propel him to a historic victory over Kamala Cackles. Any Democrat in a purple-ish or red state (think Maine, Arizona, and Georgia, among others) who sides with Schumer’s anti-immigration enforcement position risks voter wrath in November.
So by all means, Chuck, lead your party further down the road of insanity. Maybe by November Democrats’ approval will be in the low teens.
We voted for this.
— ?? Based Americana ?? (@basedamericana) January 24, 2026
