Here's a situation that's becoming a bit of a regular feature in Washington: a government shutdown drags on, federal workers show up to their jobs without knowing when their next paycheck is coming, and politicians point fingers across the aisle. The latest chapter involves the Department of Homeland Security, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) is saying it's time for the other side to come back to the table.
Jeffries, appearing on ABC's This Week, made a direct appeal to House Republicans. "The first thing that needs to happen is that the House of Representatives under the leadership of Speaker Johnson and Republicans need to bring us back into session so we can actually reopen the Department of Homeland Security, stop creating chaos at airports all across the country and forcing people, including what happened to TSA agents for weeks, to work without pay," he said.
The partial shutdown has stretched over a month, and the sticking point, as it often is, revolves around immigration enforcement. Funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol is the main holdup. Jeffries argues there's a simple, immediate fix already waiting. He pointed to a bipartisan Senate bill that has passed the upper chamber twice and, he claims, has support from every senator.
"House Democrats support that legislation, so we can reopen every other aspect of the Department of Homeland Security, including TSA, Coast Guard, FEMA, and our cybersecurity professionals, while continuing to work on the effort to get ICE under control," Jeffries explained. The idea is to fund the parts everyone agrees on now, and keep arguing about the contentious parts later. It's the legislative equivalent of "let's eat the appetizer while the main course is still cooking."
On the other side of the aisle, GOP leaders are reportedly working on a budget reconciliation plan specifically to fund ICE and Border Patrol, a move that some Republicans themselves oppose, according to reports.











