Senate Democrats vow to block DHS funding bill after Minnesota shooting, raising partial shutdown risk

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said what is happening in Minnesota is “appalling.”

WASHINGTON — In the hours after a federal officer fatally shot a 37-year-old man in Minneapolis amid the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said Senate Democrats will not vote for a spending package that includes money for the Department of Homeland Security.

Schumer’s statement increases the possibility that the government could partially shut down Jan. 30 when funding runs out. Several Democrats said Saturday that they will not vote for the bipartisan package of bills, which will need some Democratic votes to pass.

Democrats say the legislation, which includes money for a broad swath of government agencies, does not include enough restrictions on ICE.

Schumer said what is happening in Minnesota is “appalling.”

“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 said. “I will vote no.”

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto said Saturday that she too would not vote for legislation in the Senate that would fund DHS.

In doing so, Cortez Masto joined fellow Nevada Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen. The two moderates broke with their party last year on a vote over the last government shutdown.

Others like Democratic Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii have said in the wake of the shooting that they would oppose a DHS funding bill that is part of a spending package in the Senate that aims to avoid a partial government shutdown at the end of the month.