The partial DHS shutdown won’t end soon, even after the Senate passed a bill, because House Republicans have already started rebelling.
Rep. Chip Roy said the bill is a “non-starter” in the House because it doesn’t fund all of DHS and lacks the SAVE America Act:
Everybody, it’s Chip Roy here from Texas 21 and what the Senate just sent over to the House is so laughably bad. We’re rejecting it out of hand. They sent over a bill that’s not going to fund ICE and border patrol and stand with the great men and women who are defending our country. We reject that.We’re going to stand alongside our law enforcement personnel. We’re going to have a full throated debate. We’re deciding what we’re gonna do, but suffice it to say we need to stand with those who are standing up for us to defend our country. We need to fully fund them. We need to consider voter ID and other things to make our country safer and better.But we’re not gonna. We’re not gonna move this Senate bill. We’re gonna move something better and send it back to the Senate.
A few things, though. Most of ICE and Border Patrol have been funded primarily through the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB):
Some color on who is & isn’t being paid in ICE & CBP via the One Big Beautiful Bill.Most of ICE & CBP are funded through 2029 via the OBBB and operations won’t be impacted if they aren’t funded through appropriations, for now.All frontline law enforcement is being paid. The ICE, Border Patrol, and CBP agents we see in the field are all getting paid via OBBB.HOWEVER… their professional and civilian support staff are NOT being paid. These are people who work the computers, the public affairs offices, and other support staff who aren’t on the front line making immigration arrests, but are supporting the agents who are.These civilian support staffers haven’t been paid for almost half of the last six months when you factor in the prior shutdown last fall. They feel left behind – and feel they have no light at the end of the tunnel with this Senate bill leaving CBP & ICE unfunded through appropriations. They would have to hope GOP could take care of them in a future reconciliation bill, or that more funds could be moved around to pay them.These are some texts I’ve gotten from these staffers…CBP support employee:”The senate bill paid TSA but thousands of CBP & ICE professional staff will not be paid. The last paid work day for me was February 13. Now senate on paid vacation until April 13 that is a guarantee for 2 months no pay. Very likely we won’t be paid until May if Johnson lets the bill pass.”ICE civilian employee:”I have a huge favor. When you guys report on the fact that ICE is funded through OB3 funds, can you please make it known that support staff (i.e. mission support, OPA, etc.) is NOT getting paid?”HSI civilian employee:”We civilians are not getting paid, I’m working with my mom in the hospital and not getting paid. This is all so frustrating…sorry bill for venting!”
The shutdown has mainly affected the TSA, FEMA, and Coast Guard.
The original DHS funding bill would have funded the HSI (Homeland Security Investigations), which handles trafficking.
The Senate bill that passed provides no funding to ICE.
“We can’t believe that the Senate abdicated its responsibility this morning of not funding the child sex-trafficking investigation division of ICE, that they didn’t fund the border patrol,” stated Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris (R-MD).
Axios reported that House Speaker Mike Johnson agreed to a 6-day continuing resolution with the Freedom Caucus.
The CR would fund all of DHS.
The Senate would have to approve the CR because, remember, bills have to start in the House.
Well, Senators have left Congress for a recess.
If Johnson brings the Senate bill to the floor, he cannot lose the Freedom Caucus. Democrats would have to support the bill.
Considering House Democrats won’t ever cross the aisle, that won’t happen.
Johnson already has a problem on his hands because 11 members missed the first vote this morning.
The House cannot “pass a rule and bring it to the floor on the same day.”
Due to the absence of 11 members, the Republicans lack the 2/3 majority, which means they cannot pass it “on suspension of the rules.”
The Republicans have to hold a rules meeting, gavel the chamber out of session, and start a new legislative day.
[Featured image via YouTube]
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