Senate Fails to Advance Funding Package Amid Immigration Debate; Border Czar Addresses Minnesota
Washington, D.C. — The Senate failed to advance a crucial funding package on Thursday, ahead of a Saturday shutdown deadline, as Democrats demanded reforms to immigration enforcement practices, according to CBS News. The vote was 45 to 55, falling short of the 60 votes needed to proceed. Seven Republicans opposed the motion, highlighting the need for bipartisan support. Senate Majority Leader John Thune voted no in a procedural move that allows him to bring up the vote again. Talks between Democrats and the White House are ongoing in an attempt to find a path forward.
The stalled funding bill comes amid heightened tensions surrounding immigration enforcement, particularly in Minnesota. Border Czar Tom Homan held his first news conference in Minnesota on Thursday, following a request from President Trump, CBS News reported. Gov. Tim Walz's office confirmed that Walz and Homan met and "agreed on the need for an ongoing dialogue." Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey also met with Homan to discuss next steps. Homan stated he is "staying till the problem's gone."
The increased scrutiny on immigration enforcement follows several incidents in Minnesota. According to CBS News, Democrats are mobilizing around immigration and anti-ICE sentiment ahead of the midterm elections. This follows the fatal shootings this month in Minneapolis of Renee Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer and Alex Pretti by Customs and Border Protection agents. Brian Varela, a Democratic candidate running in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District, stated, "We're living in a time where we have ICE kidnapping people and we've got moms getting shot in the face."
Adding to the controversy, a representative for Alex Pretti's family confirmed he is the man seen confronting ICE agents in a video shot 11 days before his death. A government report sent to Congress and obtained by CBS News stated that two U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents fired their weapons during Pretti's fatal shooting over the weekend, but the report does not mention Pretti reaching for his firearm.
The detention of a 5-year-old boy, Liam Conejo Ramos, and his father by federal agents has also drawn attention. Jason Kuhlman, principal of Valley View Elementary School in Columbia Heights, became emotional when shown a photo of Liam inside a detention center in Texas. "We got word that he was sick. That scares me," Kuhlman told CBS News. "How is he being treated? What medical attention is he getting?" Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro posted the photo of Liam and his father, saying in a video on social media: "The whole country's been worried about him. His dad said that he hasn't been himself. That he's been sleeping a lot because he's been depressed and sad."
In a separate development, a Fulton County, Georgia, official criticized the Trump administration after the FBI seized original 2020 voting records on Wednesday, according to ABC News. County officials said the FBI served a search warrant at the county's Elections Hub and Operations Center. The FBI confirmed they were conducting court-authorized activity at the facility but provided no further information. The Fulton County official described the move as "intimidation and distraction."
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