Noem’s ouster ‘changes nothing’ for Dems blocking DHS funding
The article explains that Senate Democrats are sticking to their demand for policy concessions on ICE funding as part of ongoing negotiations to reopen the Department of Homeland Security (DHS),which has been shut down for nearly three weeks. President Trump has fired DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and nominated Sen. Markwayne Mullin to replace her, a move Democrats say changes the personnel but not the fundamental policy dispute.Democrats used a filibuster to block the latest House-passed funding bill for DHS, highlighting disagreements over use-of-force restrictions on ICE.Support for Mullin’s confirmation is seen as a potential shift in the funding talks, but many lawmakers insist the underlying policy issues must be resolved. The shutdown has left some DHS employees without full pay, while others are paid through last year’s tax law changes; the American Federation of Government Employees welcomed Noem’s removal but urged a swift funding solution.The piece includes quotes from Senate leaders Schumer and Thune, along with other lawmakers, and notes that the House has passed a similar funding bill as a messaging move.
Kristi Noem’s ouster ‘changes nothing’ for Democrats blocking DHS funding
Senate Democrats aren’t backing down from their shutdown demands to restrict Immigration and Customs Enforcement despite President Donald Trump on Thursday firing Kristi Noem as Department of Homeland Security secretary and nominating Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) as her replacement.
Democrats concede Mullin presents an “upgrade” from Noem’s rocky handling of the agency and Trump’s deportation agenda, but they say the personnel switch is not enough to unfreeze stalled funding negotiations over ICE that have seen DHS shuttered for nearly three weeks.
“The problems at this agency, ICE, transcend any one person,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) told reporters. “The rot is deep. The president has to end the violence and rein in ICE. This is a problem of policy, not personnel.”
Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), also a member of leadership, stated Noem’s ouster “changes nothing.”
“We are in a shutdown right now because we have a rogue and reckless organization that is breaking into Americans’ homes, jumping out of unmarked cars masked, literally slamming Americans to the pavement or worse — as we’ve seen in two cases — murdering people,” Booker said.
Senate Democrats on Thursday used a filibuster to block the latest attempt by Republicans to fund the agency with a House-passed spending bill. It was rejected 51-45 in a mostly party-line vote — well short of the required 60 votes needed to break a filibuster — and laid bare the stalled progress over Democratic demands for use-of-force restrictions on ICE.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) expressed optimism that Mullin, who Trump hopes is confirmed by the end of the month, could change the shutdown dynamics moving forward in light of longtime calls from Democrats for Noem’s ouster over the deaths of two citizens protesting immigration operations earlier this year in Minnesota.
“It should. The Democrats have been complaining about [Noem] forever,” Thune said. “This, to me, is a huge development, I would think, in the funding conversation. And hopefully, they’ll get more earnest about coming to the table and trying to get a deal.”
Schumer accused the president and Republicans of “stonewalling” their policy demands and said no one individual could restore faith in the agency with Trump in the White House.
“I don’t trust any one person being in charge of this agency, as long as Trump is president, given the policies he’s espoused,” the Democratic leader said.
Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) was the lone Democrat on Thursday to support the funding bill. The GOP-controlled House passed a similar funding bill later that day as a messaging operation with the support of four Democrats.
The failure to reopen DHS, which has been shut down since Feb. 14, came as some employees this week are receiving only partial paychecks. ICE, federal law enforcement officials, and certain other DHS employees will be paid regularly with funding from Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act tax law last year, but others, such as those at the Transportation Security Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, will miss pay.
IRAN RETALIATION FEARS FAIL TO MOVE DEMOCRATS ON DHS SHUTDOWN
The American Federation of Government Employees, the largest union representing government workers, lauded the firing of Noem, whom they criticized as a “disaster” for DHS employees. But they reaffirmed their call for lawmakers to find a swift solution as some of its members face their third government shutdown in recent months.
“Secretary Noem’s removal changes the political dynamics that produced this standoff,” AFGE President Everett Kelley said in statement. “Congress should seize this moment and immediately pass a measure to make sure the men and women protecting our country are being paid.”
Rachel Schilke contributed to this report.
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