DHS Faces Shutdown Amidst Immigration Enforcement Standoff, Agents Accused of Lying
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was on the brink of a shutdown as of Saturday, with no immediate resolution in sight, due to an ongoing impasse between the White House and congressional Democrats regarding immigration enforcement reforms. This potential shutdown, the third funding lapse of the current Congress and the second in less than six months, comes as federal immigration agents face scrutiny, including allegations of dishonesty in a recent shooting incident.
The standoff centers on Democrats' demands for new restrictions on agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). According to a spokesperson, two federal immigration agents involved in the shooting of a Venezuelan immigrant in Minneapolis last month appear to have lied about the details of the incident. The agents have been placed on administrative leave after a joint review by ICE and the Department of Justice revealed "untruthful statements" in their sworn testimony, according to NPR News.
The potential shutdown, set to begin at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, marks an increasingly routine outcome in a divided government. Congressional Democrats have refused to pass an annual DHS funding bill without new restrictions on federal immigration enforcement, a response to the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. However, Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania broke with his party and voted to advance a yearlong spending bill for the department that didn't include such reforms. Fetterman warned that declining to fund DHS would have zero impact on ICE functionality but would impact other agencies housed under the department, according to Time.
The incident in Minneapolis, where ICE agents are accused of providing false statements, adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing debate over immigration enforcement. The joint review by ICE and the Department of Justice is ongoing, and further details regarding the incident are expected to emerge.
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