Schumer, Dems again block DHS funding, force State of the Union showdown

Senate Democrats again blocked Republicans’ attempt to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as Congress gears up for President Donald Trump’s prime time address. 

The largely party-line vote on Tuesday was the first action in the Senate since lawmakers returned from a weeklong break. It’s also the second time Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., forced Senate Democrats to decide whether to reopen the agency.

Failure to advance the full-year funding bill ensured that the partial government shutdown, which is only affecting DHS, would stretch into its 12th day.

For now, there’s no clear sign that a compromise deal can be reached. The White House and Senate Democrats have sent counteroffer after counteroffer, but neither side has agreed to the other’s pitch.

And talks between both parties appeared to have petered out during the break.

A source familiar with negotiations told Fox News Digital that negotiations had largely stalled and are expected to resume next week.

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“Dems were holding out for [the State of the Union],” they said.

The failed vote also comes after the Trump administration took its first steps to put external pressure on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and his caucus to agree to a compromise deal to reopen the agency.

But Schumer charged that the White House is not playing ball with Democrats and their list of reforms for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). And whether Trump brings up the ongoing negotiations during his State of the Union address could impact Democrats’ calculations going forward.

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“So far they have not budged on the key issues, like masks, like warrants, like oversight from state authorities,” Schumer said. “It depends what he says. So far we’ve heard crickets from them. Nothing. They’re not negotiating. They’re just trying to pass paper back and forth with no real changes.”

Meanwhile, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced several emergency measures over the weekend as the agency meanders through its second week of lapsed funding.

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Courtesy escorts for members of Congress have been suspended, and Global Entry at airports has been suspended, as Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents have been diverted to process travelers.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has also stopped all public assistance for ongoing disasters, paused non-emergency work, halted non-disaster-related activities, and restricted personnel travel to activities “strictly necessary to respond to active disasters and life-safety emergencies,” according to the agency.

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