U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., urged Congress March 11 to fund several key homeland security agencies while also withholding additional funding from immigration enforcement agencies during the ongoing budget stalemate, according Baldwin’s statement on the DHS funding proposal.
Baldwin said on the Senate floor that lawmakers should fund agencies such as TSA, FEMA and the U.S. Coast Guard while negotiations over immigration reforms continue, according to the statement.
“I’m fighting to fund TSA, FEMA and the Coast Guard while also reining in ICE’s chaos,” Baldwin said in an email statement. “We can and must do both of these things — Wisconsinites’ safety is on the line.”
Congress remains at an impasse over funding DHS due to disagreements over immigration enforcement, according to The Associated Press.
Baldwin said she supports funding core homeland security and emergency response agencies and opposes providing additional funding to ICE without new safeguard and oversight, according to Baldwin’s statement.
Democrats say the proposal would allow negotiations on immigration policy to continue while ensuring other DHS agencies remain funded, according to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
The legislation would fund most parts of DHS while excluding ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protections, according to SAC.
Democrats say the proposal would allow negotiations on immigration policy to continue while ensuring other homeland security agencies remain funded, according to SAC.
Republican leaders say withholding funds from parts of the department could weaken national security and disrupt agencies responsible for disaster response, cybersecurity and transportation security, according to a House Committee on Appropriations press release.
The funding lapse has begun to affect some DHS operations, as staffing shortages among TSA officers have contributed to longer airport security wait times in some cities, according to Reuters. More than 300 TSA officers have left their positions, leading to delays and checkpoint closures at some airports, according to Reuters.
Democrats are attempting to show they support funding essential government operations while continuing to challenge immigration enforcement practices, according to UW political science professor Barry Burden.
“Democrats such as Baldwin are looking for a way to show they are not simply being obstinate about funding government operations but they do want to remain firm in objecting to how ICE has been operating,” Burden said in an email statement.
Airport security delays could increase pressure on lawmakers to reach a compromise, Burden said in an email. Longer screening lines expose the funding lapses’ effects and lawmakers likely want to avoid being blamed for the delays, Burden said in the email.
The dispute stems partly from disagreements over immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump, whose approach renders significant reforms unlikely during negotiations, according to Burden’s email statement.
“A brutal approach to immigration has been central to Trump’s identity as a politician and is a hallmark for his second term in office,” Burden said in the email. “It seems unlikely that any congressional negotiation will have much effect on how ICE operates except for some modest changes to use of face coverings and body cameras.”
The DHS funding dispute could remain a significant political issue heading into the 2026 midterm elections, according to Burden’s email statement. While voter concerns are likely to focus on economic issues such as affordability and the job market, immigration will remain an important issue for many voters, and the ongoing stalemate in Congress could keep it in the national spotlight, Burden said in an email.
