Senate Democrats try to ‘signal’ to base with DHS shutdown: Guy Benson
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– The Washington Examiner piece reports that Senate Democrats are using the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding lapse as a political signal to their base, while DHS has been operating without funding as February 14, contributing to a partial government shutdown.
– The shutdown is described as hindering national security efforts, with the White House noting hours-long security lines at airports and other operational strains.
– The author, Guy Benson, frames the situation against a broader threat environment, including Iran, which he calls “widely considered to be the No. 1 exporter of terrorism,” and cites related incidents such as New York City arrests linked to terrorism and a referenced attack in Austin.
– Benson argues that Democrats cannot defund ICE due to remaining funding, suggesting the shutdown is a show of opposition to immigration enforcement rather than a functional policy move.
– The political dynamics in Congress are noted,including House Republicans’ narrow majority,Rep. Kevin kiley’s departure from the GOP to run as an Autonomous, and the upcoming Georgia special election to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene, with a runoff possible on April 7 if no candidate reaches 50%.
Senate Democrats try to ‘signal’ to base with DHS shutdown: Guy Benson
Washington Examiner senior columnist Guy Benson said Senate Democrats are putting on a “show” as the Department of Homeland Security is in the midst of a funding lapse.
Congressional Democrats are facing pressure to approve government funding as the DHS has been operating without it since Feb. 14. The partial government shutdown is negatively affecting national security measures, with “hourslong security lines” at airports, according to the White House.
Benson noted the DHS’s funding lapse is happening as the United States is engaged in a conflict with Iran, a country he referred to as “widely considered to be the No. 1 exporter of terrorism.”
Benson noted that since the start of this conflict, New York City police arrested suspects accused of attempting to deploy two makeshift bombs at a protest, and that happened about a week after an apparent “Jihadist attack” in Austin, Texas.
“And in the middle of that threat matrix, our homeland security agency is in a government shutdown because Senate Democrats oppose the enforcement of federal immigration laws,” Benson said on Fox Business’s Varney & Co. “They can’t stop it, they can’t defund [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] because they’re funded for three more years under another bill, another law, so this is a show to signal to their base how angry they are about ICE and the enforcement of federal laws and they have our homeland security agency in a shutdown right now because of it.”
The DHS funding lapse comes as House Republicans lost another member of their conference, Rep. Kevin Kiley (I-CA), who left the GOP to run as an independent. Benson said House Republicans will “have to try” to pass legislation as it deals with its incredibly thin majority and added that Kiley “might lean to the right” on several policies.
AIRPORT CHAOS ESCALATES PRESSURE TO RESOLVE DHS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
Benson added that Republicans will also need to fill former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s House seat in Georgia, after which House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) will try to “work his magic.” He said Johnson has “pulled rabbits out of hats” while dealing with this small majority and ruled against dismissing the possibility of Republicans getting nothing done.
Georgia’s special election to fill Greene’s seat is on Tuesday, with 17 candidates vying for victory. If none of these candidates get 50% of the votes, a special runoff election will be held on April 7.
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