Democrats have impeded full funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for 45 days, marking it as the longest shutdown in history, driven by their fixation on criticizing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
This has resulted in numerous problems, particularly at airports, where extensive lines formed after hundreds of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staff resigned or called in sick because they were not getting paid. Additionally, the Democrats are obstructing funding for critical agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Coast Guard, and other entities vital to the country’s defense.
As Border Czar Tom Homan noted, the Democrats are effectively holding the agency hostage due to their discontent with ICE enforcing the laws they established. He also highlighted that they continue to vilify ICE agents, while the threat level continues to rise.
The situation surrounding the shutdown has become so absurd that even traditional media outlets are beginning to call out Democrats for their misleading narratives on the matter.
During an interview with Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), ABC’s Jonathan Karl asked him what the Democrats had gained from the DHS shutdown, which has persisted for over a month. When asked, Van Hollen repeated the like that ICE is a “lawless operation” and stated that Democrats were seeking reforms.
However, this statement is flat-out false. They didn’t achieve any reforms in the Senate deal that was reached. In fact, that deal separated ICE from the funding package and did not provide any reforms at all. And that’s when Karl dropped the truth bomb, which of course Democrats never want to discuss:
ABC: "ICE already has the money… you’re holding up the entirety of the DHS…"
VAN HOLLEN: "That's a false statement…"
ABC: "You're holding up the rest of DHS."
VAN HOLLEN: "We're not…"
ABC: "You're holding up… that's just a fact." pic.twitter.com/fdLz7rrUZj
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) March 29, 2026
“I guess what’s confusing here is you have fought and blocked the funding for the Department of Homeland Security because you object — as you just outlined — to what ICE has been doing, and you wanted to force changes. And yet, the only thing that has been assured throughout all of this is that ICE already has the money. Because as you said, $75 billion passed in the budget bill last year. So you’re holding up the entirety of the Department of Homeland Security because you object to ICE and you want changes to ICE, but through it all, ICE continues to have the money.”
They avoid discussing this issue because they want to appeal to their leftist base, claiming they are opposing ICE, when in reality, they are not. The aspect they claim to object to—the enforcement activities of ICE—are already funded, even though the funding for civilian support staff is not there (and shame on our Republican majority for failing to include it when they funded DHS and ICE for the next couple of years).
Van Hollen said they didn’t want to give ICE any more money and again falsely accused them of “lawless operations.”
But Karl wasn’t having it: “And fighting over that additional $10 billion, you are—you are holding up the rest of the Department of Homeland Security.”
“We’re not holding it up,” Van Hollen lied.
“You’re holding up unless it doesn’t include money for ICE. That’s just a fact,” Karl said, finishing him off.
The government shutdown continues as the House GOP attempts to pass a 60-day stopgap measure. However, the blame for this situation falls on the Democrats. Their actions reveal that their opposition to ICE is more about appealing to their base than addressing real concerns. Their posturing puts us all at risk, including the idiots who still vote for them.
