WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Mike Johnson faces tough days ahead as he tries to muscle through a federal funding package and prevent a prolonged partial government shutdown as debate intensifies over the Trump administration’s sweeping immigration enforcement campaign.
Johnson said he would rely on President Donald Trump’s help to secure passage. Trump struck a deal with senators to separate Department of Homeland Security funding from a broader package after public outrage over two shootings during protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Minneapolis. Under the Senate-approved plan, the Department of Homeland Security would receive temporary funding until February 13, setting a deadline for Congress to work toward consensus on new restrictions on ICE operations.
“The president is leading this,” Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, told “Fox News Sunday.”
“It was his decision to do this,” the spokesman said, adding that the Republican president “has acknowledged that he wants to tone down” federal immigration sweeps and raids.
The first test will come during Monday afternoon’s committee meeting, when Johnson will need his own Republican majority to advance the plan as Democrats refuse to provide votes for fast-track consideration. Johnson said he hopes work can be completed by at least Tuesday for a full House vote.
Democrats dig deep into ICE changes
Democrats are asking ICE to impose more than $20 million on body-worn cameras already included in the bill, want to require federal immigration agents to unmask and identify themselves, and push for an end to roving patrols, among other changes.
“It’s clear that the Department of Homeland Security needs significant reform,” New York House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said on ABC’s “This Week.”
Jeffries said the government needed to start negotiations on changes to immigration enforcement now, not in the next two weeks.
“The mask should come off,” he said. “We believe that there should absolutely be a constitutional requirement to obtain a judicial warrant before Homeland Security agents or ICE agents break into American people’s homes or forcefully rescue people from their cars.”
Republicans make their own demands
Meanwhile, House Republicans and some allies in the Senate are making their own demands in an effort to support Trump’s crackdown on U.S. immigration
The House Freedom Caucus insists on more adequate funding for homeland security, while some Republicans are pushing to include other measures, including the SAVE Act, an unlikely priority of Trump’s that would require Americans to provide proof of citizenship before being eligible to participate in elections and vote.
Johnson said he would talk to lawmakers in the coming day to see how he could win support.
Partial government shutdown continues
Meanwhile, many federal agencies are in a funding impasse due to the partial government shutdown over the weekend.
Sectors such as defence, health, transport and housing are all subject to government closure guidance, but many businesses are considered essential and services will not necessarily be disrupted. If the standoff continues, workers could lose pay. Some people may be furloughed.
Lawmakers from both parties are increasingly concerned that the shutdown will disrupt the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which they rely on to help constituents in states after storms and other disasters.
It’s the second time in as many months that federal government operations have been disrupted as Congress uses the annual appropriations process as leverage to push for policy changes. Last fall, Democrats’ protests over the expiration of health insurance tax credits triggered the longest federal shutdown in history, lasting 43 days.
The shutdown ended with a promise to vote on a proposal to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credit. But Democrats were unable to achieve their goal of maintaining subsidies due to Republican opposition. Insurance premiums are soaring for millions of people in the new year.
Trump hopes to end government shutdown as soon as possible
This time, the government has expressed interest in resolving the closures more quickly.
Johnson said Trump and border czar Tom Homan spoke with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York in the Oval Office last week to reach a deal on immigration enforcement reform.
“I think we’re getting a deal,” Johnson said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
Johnson said the package, which already includes provision for body-worn cameras and an end to roving patrols by immigration officers, were areas where agreement was possible.
But he said removing masks and emblazoning names on agents’ uniforms could cause problems for law enforcement officers as they become targets of protesters and have their personal information posted online.
“I don’t think the president will approve it — nor should he,” Johnson said on Fox.
Democrats, however, say the immigration campaign is out of control and must end in Minneapolis and other cities.
A growing number of lawmakers are calling for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to be fired or impeached.
“What’s happening in Minnesota right now is a dystopia,” said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who has led the effort to insist on more changes.
“ICE is making this country less safe, not safer,” Murphy said on “Fox News Sunday.”
“Our focus over the next two weeks must be on reining in lawless and unscrupulous immigration agencies.”
