House Democrats largely voted to allow the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown to keep going- dismissing Republicans’ concerns about the increased domestic terror threat amid the U.S. -Israeli operation in Iran.
The news comes just hours after President Trump announced DHS Secretary Kristi Noem was re-assigned to Special Envoy as the Shield of the Americas, appointing Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., as her replacement.
But that did not stop the Democrats from voting against a bipartisan DHS funding bill aimed at funding the cabinet agency through Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year.
It would fully fund all aspects of DHS while also including new guardrails on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) demanded by Democrats, like a body-worn camera mandate and new required training on public engagement and de-escalation.
Democratic leaders are still holding out until further restrictions are put on ICE and Customs Border Protection (CBP) agents on the ground in various cities.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., signaled to reporters removing Noem- just wasn't enough.
"It's not like Kristi Noem was the one who was involved in negotiating anything. She was a corrupt lackey. So, we were dealing with the White House before, and we're going to continue to deal with the White House at this point," he said.
Republican leaders are warning that keeping DHS in a shutdown state is dangerous for national security, as threats within the borders are on the rise as the Iran conflict continues.
"Now is the time to be vigilant at home and to ensure that all of our doors are locked, so to speak," Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said during a press conference Wednesday. "And yet, as all this is happening, we have Democrats running around here playing political games in Congress. It's infuriating. They've shut down the very agency that is responsible for securing the homeland."
House Minority Leader, Hakeem Jeffries, D-NY., called Republicans’ argument “insane” according to Fox news Digital earlier this week.