The Trump administration approved federal emergency declarations for several states ahead of the winter storm, dubbed “Winter Storm Fern” by the Weather Channel, that brought freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall to many states.

But FEMA’s funding is at risk now that many Democrats have come out against a six-bill appropriations legislation that includes funding for Homeland Security after another shooting death involving a U.S. citizen. Democrats and Republicans have expressed concern after Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse at a Veterans Affairs hospital, was shot and killed by a Border Patrol agent.

But Democrats are now largely calling for the DHS bill to be removed from the bill so they can place more guardrails on ICE. Doing so, however, would affect funding to other agencies under the legislation, including FEMA.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), one of eight Democrats who voted with Republicans to reopen the government last November, said in a statement to the Washington Examiner that he “strongly supports” FEMA funding and criticized the Trump administration’s actions to slash the agency’s funding and some of its programs.

But, Kaine said, “I also strongly oppose this Administration’s out-of-control Department of Homeland Security, which has killed multiple U.S. citizens this year in entirely preventable shootings.” 

“I will not let Republicans force us to choose between keeping Americans safe from storms or from reckless violence by federal agents,” Kaine added.

Republicans are asking their Democratic counterparts to rethink a partial shutdown amid concerns about the other agencies at risk.

“I urge my colleagues to recognize the vital role DHS plays across our country and the many agencies they oversee such as FEMA, the Coast Guard, the TSA, Secret Service, and more,” said Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL), chairwoman of the Senate’s DHS appropriations subcommittee. “These programs are critical to keeping Americans safe and must be funded.”

Britt added that recent events show “government shutdowns do not help anyone,” stating that she “is committed to finding a pathway forward.” 

Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK), chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, told Politico in an interview Monday that shutting the government down is “not the way to deal with this incident.”

“We’re not going to pay soldiers in dangerous situations in Iraq or Syria? We’re in a big snowstorm. … We’re not going to make sure FEMA is up and operational? It’s just nuts,” Cole said.

The necessity of FEMA funding was the reason for top Democratic appropriators’ initial support of the DHS bill. In statements, Appropriations ranking members Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) noted that the DHS legislation was “more than just ICE.”

“If we allow a lapse in funding, TSA agents will be forced to work without pay, FEMA assistance could be delayed, and the U.S. Coast Guard will be adversely affected,” DeLauro said. “All while ICE continues functioning without any change in their operations due to $75 billion it received in the One Big Beautiful Bill.”

Murray echoed that Democrats “must win political power” to enact ICE accountability, and the suggestion that a CR would “curb the lawlessness of this administration is not rooted in reality.”

But since those original statements, both Democrats have come out against the DHS bill. DeLauro voted against the bill on the floor last week, saying ICE is acting with “impunity” and “it’s clear more must be done.”

But delaying funding for Homeland Security may not be the blow to ICE Democrats think it is. During negotiations, Democrats were able to secure a $115 million funding reduction for ICE operations in the DHS funding bill. However, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a sweeping $3.5 trillion legislation passed last year, ICE received a $75 billion supplement on top of the $10 billion base budget for the agency.

If that money were used steadily, that would amount to nearly $29 billion a year, which is almost triple its recent funding levels.

This means the agency can largely continue its operations even if there is a lapse in Homeland Security funding due to fighting over appropriations in the Senate. This, in part, is why even some conservative Republicans weren’t phased by the reductions in the bill.

“The Working Families Tax Cut has plenty of money in it for DHS and ICE enforcement, so any small cuts are inconsequential,” Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris (R-MD) told the Washington Examiner last week, using the moniker the GOP created to rebrand the “big beautiful bill” ahead of the 2026 elections.

ICE operations are also generally designated as essential services, meaning officers and Border Patrol agents would continue to work even if a lapse in government funding caused furloughs or layoffs in other departments. 

Including Kaine, seven of the eight Democrats who voted to reopen the government have said they will oppose the minibus if the DHS bill remains in the legislation. Those include Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NJ), and Angus King (I-ME).

Democrats are largely demanding that Republicans separate the DHS bill from the rest of the minibus, but the GOP has not given any indication that it will take that path. A spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said Monday the Senate will move forward with the funding bill as one bill when the chamber reconvenes tomorrow.

“Democrats are ready to quickly pass the other five spending bills to keep government open — and ready to take action to ensure FEMA and other important agencies have the resources they need while urgent work to rein in ICE and CBP occurs. This is the common-sense path forward that the vast majority of Americans support, and it’s critical that Republicans work with us to get this done,” Murray told the Washington Examiner.

Any changes to the bill would mean sending it back to the House, which is on recess until February. Given the uphill battle it took to finalize the legislation, House Republicans may be less willing to engage in discussion if Democrats threaten a government shutdown, given that the bills were already “conferenced.”

“The negotiation already happened,” a senior House Republican aide told the Washington Examiner. “Senate Democrats should be upset at their own appropriators if they don’t like it. Negotiate better. … And if Democrats are in the business [of] reneging on an agreement and want a renegotiation on the DHS bill, then who’s to say that Republicans won’t want to renegotiate other bills? They can’t have it both ways and a negotiation isn’t just getting what one side wants.”

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), the eighth Democrat to vote to reopen the government last fall, said in a statement he thinks stripping DHS from the legislation is “unlikely.” 

CONGRESS IS PREPARING FOR A PARTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM THE LAST ONE?

“I will never vote to shut our government down,” Fetterman said.

If the Senate cannot pass the minibus, funding for financial services, DHS, Labor, Health and Human Services, the Pentagon, and other general government services would be stalled. President Donald Trump has signed six appropriations bills into law so far, so funding for the legislative branch, Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, and Interior would continue without interruption, as well as funding for Energy and Environment and Commerce, Justice, and Science.