The Department of Homeland Security is headed for a shutdown. U.S. senators from Connecticut and New York voted against funding for the department on Thursday afternoon.
The shutdown deadline was technically two weeks ago. Democrats reached an agreement to keep the department funded for two additional weeks.
Over those two weeks, they were supposed to negotiate on reforms for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) said that never happened.
“During the first week of that two-week continuing resolution, there was no clarity over who we were supposed to be negotiating with,” Murphy said. “Was it Senate Republicans? Was it the White House? And in fact, it wasn't until [Wednesday] night, literally on the verge of the shutdown, that we got our first offer of text from the White House, far too late to be able to engage in any compromise before the deadline.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said the bill that would have kept the department funded was a non-starter for his caucus.
“Republicans chose to put a bill on the floor that ignored the abuses, ignored the outrage, ignored what the American people want, overwhelmingly, and they failed to get the votes to avoid a shutdown at DHS,” Schumer said.
The Coast Guard is the only branch of the military funded by DHS. A shutdown means essential workers at the New London-based academy may not receive their next paycheck.
ICE will continue to operate during a shutdown.
It’s unclear how long the impasse could last. Congress has already left town ahead of its recess next week. Funding for DHS lapses at midnight on Friday the 13.
