Democrats salivate at GOP’s near zero-vote margin as shutdown looms over ICE reform gridlock
Democrats believe a one-vote GOP margin for error in the House of Representatives would give them newfound leverage in negotiations over the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and other priorities as rumors circulate that yet another Republican may cut his time in office short. A Republican majority hangs by a thread as questions continue to circulate over whether Rep. Neal Dunn, R-Fla., will resign his seat in the coming days. To members like Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., that prospect strengthens Democrats’ hand. “Look, yeah, the less of a majority they have, the better it is for us to actually get real stuff done that benefits the country,” Jayapal said Wednesday evening. SENATE REPUBLICANS TEE UP KEY SHUTDOWN TEST VOTE AS DEMOCRATS DIG IN ON DHS FUNDING It’s unclear when Dunn, who has wrestled with health concerns in the past, might come to a decision. If Dunn steps aside, Republicans will have just a one-seat majority and almost no margin for error that will prevent them from passing most pieces of legislation with just one vote to spare among their own party or secure help from Democrats. With persistent rebels like Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., in the mix, Democrats are willing to bet they’ll be asked for help. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., believes that even just one less vote changes how Republicans have to think about DHS funding and the list of demands Democrats have made for reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). “This place runs on numbers,” DeLauro said. “I think what I’ll do is take the circumstance and, for me, we need to be bold, transformational but do what is attainable.” Democrats led by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., have made a list of 10 demands for ICE reform that, among other items, include a ban on masks, an end to racial profiling, stiffer warrant requirements and an end to paramilitary policing practices. Gridlock over those demands looks poised to force a partial government shutdown as lawmakers run up against a funding deadline Friday without a compromise in sight. “Let’s look at what we can get done,” DeLauro said. DHS FUNDING FIGHT DRIVES SENATE SCRAMBLE TO AVOID GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY: LITTLE LOVE IN THE AIR AS UNCERTAINTY SWIRLS ON THE HILL While control of what legislation goes to the floor likely won’t change with an even tighter majority, Rep. Johnny Olszewski, D-Md., believes Democrats could press their priorities through the amendment process. Most bills have what’s called a “closed” rule process by which only preapproved amendments are considered. Olszewski hopes that’s one area Republicans could allow some give. “I have, in good faith, tried to offer amendments to make bills better and potentially able to support,” Olszewski said. “I know that many of my colleagues have done that. And, so, I guess, you know, if we’re serious about coming together and finding solutions — especially on the cost of living crisis that’s crushing America — maybe we’ll see that. “I don’t think that’s a good way to get Democratic support for anything to continue to shut them out of the process.” When asked if he sees Democrats locking down legislative efforts Republicans can’t unite on, Olszewski said he hopes that’s not how things play out. “It doesn’t have to be that way,” Olszewski said. “Since I’ve been sworn in, I’ve been pleading to Speaker Johnson and the Republican majority to strike a more bipartisan tone.” Jayapal believes previous votes Republicans and Democrats have forced together indicate that there’s more room for collaboration. “I mean, you’ve seen the success with discharge petitions,” Jayapal said, referring to the legislative process Republican rebels have used to force votes over the objection of the chamber’s leadership. Notably, the legislation that forced the release of the Epstein files came about through a discharge petition effort. SENATE REPUBLICANS WEIGH DEM DEMAND TO SPLIT DHS BILL, TURN TO SHORT-TERM EXTENSION TO AVOID SHUTDOWN Lawmakers have filed 16 discharge petitions this Congress. Of those, four have reached the needed 218 signatories to advance. While Dunn’s picture remains uncertain, Republicans can expect to add to their razor-thin majority when Georgia holds its special election to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., March 10. Greene resigned from Congress in January. The heavily Republican district was last won by Greene by a 28.8% margin of victory.
Cruz targets Minnesota-style fraud with bill requiring proof before federal childcare payouts
EXCLUSIVE: A trio of Republican senators are moving to overhaul how federal childcare funds are distributed after what they call “mass fraud” in Minnesota exposed a system that paid providers before verifying children were ever in the room. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, joined by senators Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Rick Scott, R-Fla., is introducing the Payment Integrity Act, legislation that would require states to distribute federally funded childcare dollars based on verified attendance, not enrollment claims. “Programs in Minnesota for welfare and childcare were designed to channel resources into protecting vulnerable children but were treated like an open ATM by criminals,” Cruz told Fox News Digital. “The mass fraud in Minnesota shows that American taxpayers can no longer rely on local and state politicians to prevent abuses because those politicians often have electoral and partisan incentives to look the other way. My legislation reduces the risk of the waste and fraud we’ve seen and ensures that resources are provided to children and families who need it.” WALZ’S MINNESOTA MESS COULD SPARK THE TOUGHEST FRAUD REFORMS IN DECADES The bill would reverse a 2024 Biden administration rule requiring states to pay childcare providers before attendance verification. Under Cruz’s proposal, providers would be paid only after services are confirmed, shifting from enrollment-based payments to attendance-based billing. Cruz’s bill comes as the outspoken Texan led a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing on alleged Somali fraudsters last week. There, lawmakers heard directly from David Hoch, a journalist who accompanied blogger Nick Shirley to sites claiming to be Somali daycare centers. HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE WIDENS INVESTIGATION INTO ALLEGED MINNESOTA FRAUD “There are few crimes more morally repugnant than stealing from vulnerable children. Every dollar stolen is a meal not eaten, a doctor’s visit missed and a future diminished,” Cruz said, adding that such fraud “plunders our children’s potential.” Gesturing toward a photo of the “Quality Learing Center” in Minneapolis during the hearing, an alleged fraudulent childcare provider Cruz called “emblematic” of the crisis, he said the fraud was occurring not in “some distant or lawless place, but in the heart of America’s Midwest.” Co-sponsor Lee said support for childcare should “go to real kids, not empty rooms.” “Fake childcare operations are stealing funding from the ones who are actually taking care of America’s children in need. Our bill will address this massive fraud by granting funding based on actual attendance rather than reported enrollment and allowing states to pay retroactively instead of in advance,” Lee said, adding such “diligence” should have been the law all along. PAM BONDI DISPATCHES FEDERAL PROSECUTORS TO MINNESOTA FOLLOWING SOMALI FRAUD ALLEGATIONS The Payment Integrity Act also puts into law the January rule from Health and Human Services that established attendance-based billing procedures. That rule, according to Secretary Robert F. Kennedy’s deputy, Jim O’Neill, was also spurred by what has been happening in Minnesota. “We’ve seen credible and widespread allegations of fraudulent daycare providers who were not caring for children at all. The reforms we are enacting will make fraud harder to perpetrate,” O’Neill said in a statement. The Payment Integrity Act amends the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act signed into law by President George H.W. Bush, to include such “attendance-based billing.” “Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to require a lead agency to make a payment to a child care provider prior to the provision of child care services,” the bill states in a direct reversal of the prepayment system Cruz says allowed fraud to flourish.
Republicans in lock-step behind Trump immigration crackdown as independent support shrinks, poll finds
Republicans remain firmly behind President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown even as support among independents declines and more Americans say he has “gone too far,” according to a new poll. The AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research released the findings on Thursday, showing that roughly half of Republicans say Trump’s actions are “about right,” and another quarter believe he hasn’t gone far enough. The survey found that about 6 in 10 U.S. adults believe Trump has crossed the line in sending federal immigration agents into American cities, including nearly 9 in 10 Democrats and about 7 in 10 independents. Only about one-quarter of Republicans agree. The poll was conducted before Trump’s border czar Tom Homan announced Thursday that a federal immigration surge in Minnesota would conclude. Federal authorities have previously said the immigration sweeps focused on the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area have led to the arrest of more than 4,000 people. LEAVITT SAYS TRUMP WILL NOT ‘WAVER’ ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN DESPITE DEMOCRATIC BACKLASH Trump’s overall approval on immigration stands at 38%, largely unchanged since January despite weeks of unrest tied to federal enforcement operations, including high-profile clashes in Minneapolis. Trump’s standing with independents, however, appears to be eroding, according to the poll. Approval among independents dropped from 37% in March 2025 to 23% in the new poll, with about 6 in 10 independents now saying Trump has gone too far in deporting immigrants living in the U.S. illegally — up from 46% in April. MORE THAN HALF OF VOTERS THINK DHS SECRETARY KRISTI NOEM SHOULD BE REMOVED: POLL The partisan divide is especially sharp when it comes to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Only about 3 in 10 U.S. adults have a favorable view of ICE overall. Roughly 7 in 10 Republicans view the agency favorably, compared to just 2 in 10 independents and 1 in 10 Democrats. The poll also suggests the GOP’s long-held advantage on immigration may be narrowing. In October, Republicans held a 13-point edge over Democrats on which party Americans trusted more to handle immigration. In the latest survey, that gap has shrunk to just 4 points, with about 3 in 10 Americans favoring each party and another 3 in 10 saying neither would do a better job. Trump’s overall job approval stands at 36%, slightly down from the start of his second term. His ratings on the economy and foreign policy remain similar and largely unchanged in recent months. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
DOJ solicits examples of ‘judicial activism’ from prosecutors as it weighs impeachment referrals
A Department of Justice official raised the possibility of referring federal judges to Congress for impeachment in what would be a dramatic escalation of the administration’s fight with judges it views as activist and obstructionist. The idea was floated by a senior DOJ official during a recent virtual meeting with U.S. attorneys across the country, a source familiar with the meeting told Fox News Digital. It marked a new possible avenue for the executive branch to confront the judiciary — by turning to Congress, which has sole authority over impeachment, to take the rare step of voting to oust federal judges. The meeting, led by Associate Deputy Attorney General Aakash Singh, was routine, but impeachment had not been raised in one before, the source said. Singh broached it after the DOJ received numerous complaints from the U.S. attorneys’ offices about judges, the source said. Bloomberg Law first reported on the meeting. HOUSE REPUBLICANS REVIVE PUSH TO IMPEACH ‘ACTIVIST’ JUDGES AFTER JOHNSON’S GREEN LIGHT Singh asked the U.S. attorneys to compile examples of issues they have had with judges, which the DOJ could then use to determine if referring judges for impeachment was appropriate. A DOJ spokesperson confirmed the move in a statement to Fox News Digital, saying the Trump administration is “facing unprecedented judicial activism from rogue judges who care more about making a name for themselves than acting as impartial arbiters of the law.” “The Department of Justice solicited the most egregious examples of this obstruction from our U.S. Attorney Offices to assist Congress with efforts to rein in judges violating their oaths in accordance with their constitutional oversight authority of the judicial branch,” the spokesperson said. Any referral would be sent to the House, which must then vote on impeachment. Doing so would be extraordinarily rare as the House has only ever impeached 15 judges, typically for crimes like corruption and bribery. This year, Congress has weighed impeaching at least two federal judges, James Boasberg and Deborah Boardman. Boasberg, an Obama appointee, has made a handful of adverse rulings against the Trump administration in high-profile immigration cases, while Boardman deviated heavily downward in her eight-year sentence for Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s attempted assassin. Numerous Republicans have called for their impeachment, but the House has not moved to initiate the proceedings. APPEALS COURT DISMISSES DOJ MISCONDUCT COMPLAINT AGAINST FEDERAL JUDGE As a recourse against adverse rulings, the DOJ has publicly decried judges’ decisions or appealed them, the latter of which requires layers of internal approvals. Calling on the House, narrowly led by Republicans, to impeach judges would be a new approach. Two-thirds of the Senate would then need to vote to convict the judges, which would strip them of their lifetime appointments. The DOJ has been managing hundreds of lawsuits, a large fraction of which deal with the administration’s aggressive crackdown on immigration and controversial deportation tactics. Adverse rulings and reprimands from lower court judges have been frequent. Prosecutors, for instance, charged Juan Espinoza Martinez with engaging in a murder-for-hire plot against U.S. Border Patrol official Greg Bovino. However, Espinoza Martinez was acquitted in January after a Clinton-appointed federal judge in Chicago rejected the DOJ’s requests to inform the jury that Martinez allegedly belonged to the Latin Kings gang, contending that the department did not have enough evidence to raise that claim in court. The DOJ spokesperson further outlined the department’s frustrations, telling Fox News Digital that district court and magistrate judges have refused to sign criminal complaints or search warrants when clear probable cause exists, made bad rulings about evidence and jury instructions, granted emergency restraining orders against the government without giving the DOJ a reasonable time to respond and “erroneously” involved themselves in the U.S. attorney nominations process. Fox News Digital reached out to the House Judiciary Committee, which would vet any judicial impeachments, about how it would handle the possible referrals.
NATO launches Arctic security push as Trump eyes Greenland takeover
In the face of President Donald Trump’s concerns about Arctic security and his calls for the U.S. to acquire Greenland, NATO has launched a security effort called “Arctic Sentry.” “Still, in the face of Russia’s increased military activity and China’s growing interest in the High North, it was crucial that we do more, which is why we have just two hours ago launched Arctic Sentry,” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said during remarks on Wednesday. “Initially, it will bring together exercises like Denmark’s Arctic Endurance and Norway’s Cold Response,” he noted. VANCE: US SHOULD GET ‘SOME BENEFIT’ FROM GREENLAND IF IT’S GOING TO BE ‘ON THE HOOK’ FOR PROTECTING TERRITORY Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post that he had a “very productive meeting” with NATO’s Rutte. “We have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region. This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO Nations,” Trump wrote at the time. RUSSIA, CHINA SQUEEZE US ARCTIC DEFENSE ZONE AS TRUMP EYES GREENLAND In a statement provided to Fox News Digital on Thursday, a White House official said, “The Arctic is a critical region for U.S. national security and the economy. As an Arctic nation, the United States will pursue its security and economic interests and ensure safety, stability, and prosperity in the face of growing competition from China and Russia.” A Wednesday press release from Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe noted, “Allied Command Operations (ACO), which is responsible for the planning and execution of all NATO exercises, activities and operations, began Arctic Sentry today.” “The preparations for Arctic Sentry provided NATO planners with full visibility of Allied nations’ activities in the Arctic and High North. Moving forward, ACO will use Arctic Sentry to cohere these actions into one overarching operational approach to Allies’ increasing activities, which will enhance NATO’s presence there,” the press release notes. BATTERED IN UKRAINE, RUSSIA RACES TO REARM — BUT QUESTIONS LINGER OVER ITS MILITARY STRENGTH “These activities include, among others, Denmark’s Arctic Endurance, a series of multi-domain exercises designed to enhance Allied ability to operate in the region, and Norway’s upcoming exercise Cold Response, where troops from across the Alliance have already begun to arrive,” the release states.
US tariff revenue up 300% under Trump as Supreme Court battle looms
Tariff revenue has climbed 300% since President Donald Trump’s return to office, delivering a windfall to federal coffers even as the trade levies face a looming Supreme Court battle. In January alone, duties totaled $30.4 billion, up 275% from a year earlier. When looking at the entire fiscal year, revenue has reached $124 billion, a roughly 304% increase from the same period last year. The haul has become a cornerstone of Trump’s economic agenda, as the administration argues tariffs can generate revenue to fund domestic priorities, lower the nation’s eye-watering $38 trillion debt and deliver a $2,000 dividend check for Americans. TRUMP SAYS US WOULD BE ‘DESTROYED’ WITHOUT TARIFF REVENUE Tariffs function as a tax on imports, and in many cases U.S. importers absorb the upfront cost and then pass it along through higher prices for wholesalers, retailers and, ultimately, consumers. That means households and businesses may face increased costs for goods ranging from electronics to raw materials. Whether tariffs ultimately help or hurt the economy depends on how much of that burden consumers absorb, how domestic producers respond and whether the intended economic or geopolitical advantages are worth the added costs to consumers. With affordability a central concern for voters heading into the midterm elections, any policy that raises consumer prices is likely to face heightened political scrutiny. TRUMP SAYS TARIFF-FUNDED DIVIDEND PAYMENTS FOR AMERICANS WILL BEGIN NEXT YEAR Meanwhile, the nation’s highest court has yet to rule on whether Trump’s tariffs fall within his presidential authority. A ruling against the government could jeopardize a key source of federal revenue and reshape Trump’s trade policy. The cases before the Supreme Court stem from lawsuits filed by an educational toy manufacturer and a family-owned wine and spirits importer. TRUMP CALLS TARIFF WINDFALL ‘SO BEAUTIFUL TO SEE’ AS CASH SAILS IN The suits followed Trump’s so-called “Liberation Day” tariffs in April, a sweeping package of import duties he said would address trade imbalances and curb reliance on foreign goods. Revenue spiked in the months that followed, rising from $9.6 billion in March to $23.9 billion in May. For fiscal 2025, which ended Sept. 30, total duty collections reached $215.2 billion, Treasury figures show. The upward trend has extended into fiscal 2026, with receipts already outpacing last year.
Immigration once fueled Trump’s 2024 win — now sagging approval tests GOP grip on Congress
It was a top issue at the ballot box in 2024 that boosted President Donald Trump and Republicans to sweeping victories. But in the wake of new political backlash over Trump’s unprecedented illegal immigration crackdown, the latest polling on the issue raises warning signs for Republicans and suggests immigration may come back to take a bite out of the GOP in this year’s midterm elections, as the party defends its slim House and Senate majorities. National Republican Congressional Committee Chair Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina told Fox News Digital that when it comes to the issue of immigration, “I think it’s going to be very helpful for us going into the election.” But new polling — conducted before Thursday’s announcement that the Trump administration was winding down the massive deployment earlier this year of masked federal immigration agents in Minnesota, but after last month’s fatal shootings by those agents of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti — suggests otherwise. SIGNIFICANT DRAWDOWN: BORDER CZAR MAKES MAJOR IMMIGRATION ANNOUNCEMENT The president’s approval on immigration stands at 38% in an AP-NORC poll conducted Feb. 5-8. That’s a drop from 49% last March, just over a month into the president’s second term in the White House. A similar 38% gave the president a thumbs up on immigration in the most recent Quinnipiac University poll, which was in the field Jan. 29-Feb. 2. That’s down from 44% in mid-December. WHAT THE LATEST FOX NEWS NATIONAL POLLING SHOWS And Trump stood at 40% approval in the latest NBC News Decision Desk poll, a drop from 49% last April. The survey questioned respondents from Jan. 27-Feb. 6. And the most recent Fox News national poll, conducted Jan. 23–26, indicated the president’s approval on handling border security at 52%-47%, but his approval on immigration underwater at 45%-55%. A common theme in all these polls: while Republicans continue to strongly support the president and their party on immigration, independents are joining Democrats in strongly disapproving. The Trump administration announced on Thursday that it was unwinding its immigration operation in Minnesota, amid ongoing protests and continued opposition from top Democrats in the blue-leaning state. “A significant drawdown has already been underway this week, and will continue to the next week,” border czar Tom Homan said. But he added that “as a result of our efforts here, Minnesota is now less of a sanctuary state for criminals.” MORE THAN HALF SAY HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY KRISTI NOEM NEEDS TO GO: POLL Pointing to Trump’s swift actions a year ago, veteran Republican strategist Colin Reed noted that “shutting down the southern border was such a major accomplishment and achieved so quickly and effectively that many voters have forgotten just how bad things got under the Biden Administration.” “It’s an issue that resonated powerfully across the political spectrum, and one that should and can be a political tailwind heading into November,” he added. But Reed highlighted that “regardless of the cause, the recent events in Minnesota were not helpful to the White House or Republican brand, and they were wise to change course and bring down the temperature.” The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has highlighted the president’s sagging approval ratings on immigration and polls showing rising disenchantment with the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. DNC chair Ken Martin, in a statement Thursday to Fox News Digital, charged that the Trump administration had created “political theater, flooding communities with masked agents and creating a culture of fear where Americans across the country and across the political spectrum are afraid to go to the grocery store or to pick up their kids at school.” “Americans don’t support what ICE is doing, and the DNC will continue to hold this administration accountable, highlighting these horrendous assaults by ICE and marching towards the midterms to put a check on the abuses of this administration,” Martin emphasized. But Hudson is taking aim at what he calls a false narrative from the mainstream media. “There’s a whole lot of that coming out of the mainstream media right now, and it’s just not true,” he told Fox News Digital. “People are going to feel more secure at home because of these efforts. President Trump’s doing the right thing.” The new AP/NORC poll indicates Republicans with a slight edge over Democrats on the immigration issue. Asked if immigration will still be a winning issue in the midterms, the House GOP campaign chief said: “It’s a promise made, a promise kept, that we are getting these dangerous criminals out of your neighborhood.”
Trump administration threatens 7-Eleven partnership after federal agents denied service at Minneapolis store
FIRST ON FOX: The Trump administration demanded answers from 7-Eleven’s COO following an altercation where U.S. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino and federal agents were denied service at a Minneapolis gas station in late January. Michael Lynch, deputy administrator of the General Services Administration, sent a letter to Doug Rosencrans, 7-Eleven’s COO, on Feb. 5 requesting any information from a potential internal investigation into the altercation. Lynch noted that a federal government partnership could be in jeopardy between the Trump administration and the world’s largest international chain of convenience stores. “As 7-Eleven, Inc./Speedway LLC locations accept the GSA SmartPay fleet card for fuel and other authorized purchases on behalf of Federal fleets —i ncluding those operated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security — these actions raise concerns about the ability of Federal vehicle operators to access necessary fuel and services at convenient locations,” the letter reads. DEPUTY AG DETAILS ‘MASSIVE UNDERGROUND FRAUD NETWORK’ ALLEGEDLY BEHIND MINNEAPOLIS ANTI-ICE PUSH A viral video captured by conservative activist Cam Higby posted on Jan. 21 shows Bovino leaving a Speedway gas station, a chain which is owned by parent company 7-Eleven, followed by a manager who said, “I don’t support ICE, and nobody here does.” GSA said in the letter that “the reported refusal appears to have encompassed both in-store purchases and potential fuel transactions.” According to the GSA’s website, the Fleet Card is issued “to pay for fuel and maintenance for your GSA Fleet-leased vehicle,” and says the card is accepted at 95% of U.S. fuel stations in all 50 states, U.S. territories and Canada. CONSERVATIVE IMMIGRATION EXPERTS SPLIT ON WHETHER TRUMP IS ‘BACKING DOWN’ IN MN ICE FIGHT It is a mandatory requirement for all non-tactical federal vehicles to be purchased through the GSA’s Fleet program. GSA also requested information related to training or policies that 7-Eleven has regarding the acceptance of fleet cards. The denial is just one of many from venues whose owners and managers have tied their personal, political views to their businesses. Earlier this year, the GSA removed a Hampton Inn Lakeville in Minneapolis from the list of approved lodging locations for federal employees after immigration agents were denied stay even after Hilton’s corporate leadership said the issue had been resolved. FROM OBAMA AWARD TO MINNESOTA OP: WHY TRUMP TAPPED TOM HOMAN FOR ON-THE-GROUND CRACKDOWN A McDonald’s in downtown Minneapolis also brandished a sign on the front door saying ICE and CBP agents were not welcome at the fast-food restaurant. McDonald’s corporate arm later told Fox News Digital that it had instructed the franchisee to remove it. At one restaurant near the site near where Renee Good was killed, a sign denying immigration agents was bright and bold on the front door, and employees inside the breakfast spot were wearing clothing with anti-ICE messaging. While 7-Eleven did not respond to Fox News Digital’s inquiry regarding the letter from the Trump administration requesting information, the GSA noted that it would consider stripping the massive chain of its Fleet program partnership. “GSA values its partnerships with merchants who support Federal operations and appreciates your prompt attention to this inquiry,” the agency said in the letter. “Timely cooperation will assist in determining whether any program-related actions are warranted and in ensuring continued reliable service for Federal fleets.”
DHS shutdown looms as Johnson navigates GOP divide over stopgap solutions
A partial government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is all but guaranteed unless the Senate rams through a short-term extension of current funding levels sometime on Thursday. But avoiding a DHS shutdown means the same measure must also pass the House of Representatives, where success will depend on delicate political maneuvering by Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to persuade a House Republican Conference with varying ideas of what a path forward should look like. “It would have to be for 60 or 90 days, I would think,” said Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus. “I don’t know what’s going to happen in 30 days, I don’t know what’s going to change.” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., is expected to unveil a stopgap funding measure for DHS called a continuing resolution (CR), which would extend the department’s current budget for a yet-unknown amount of time. ICE SHUTDOWN FIGHT MIGHT RESTRICT FEMA, COAST GUARD TO ‘LIFE-THREATENING’ EMERGENCIES It comes after Democrats walked away en masse from a bipartisan deal to fund DHS through the end of fiscal year (FY) 2026 over what they saw as insufficient guardrails on agencies responsible for President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minneapolis and elsewhere. Congress has funded 97% of the federal government through FY2026 at this point. But DHS is a vast department with a broad jurisdiction that includes the U.S. Coast Guard, the Secret Service, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) — all of which will see varying levels of disruptions if a shutdown happens. Republicans largely want to avoid such a situation but have made clear they believe that its effects would fall squarely on Democrats’ shoulders. DEMOCRATS SPLIT ON SHIELDING COAST GUARD, SECRET SERVICE AS DHS SHUTDOWN THREAT NEARS Conservatives like Norman favor an extended CR, arguing that it would fund Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at a higher level than the initial bipartisan funding deal would have while removing Democrats’ negotiating leverage for more guardrails on those agents. House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., told Fox News Digital last week that he would support a full-year CR for DHS to “make sure that FEMA is funded and TSA is funded, and stop the drama.” Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., similarly said on Wednesday, “I think we’d like to push it out as far as we can so we can avoid the constant uncertainty for the agency.” THUNE BLASTS JEFFRIES, SCHUMER AS ‘AFRAID OF THEIR SHADOWS’ AS DHS FUNDING FIGHT HEATS UP “As long as this hangs up in the air, let’s say you do it for three, four months, the Democrats are gonna want a pound of flesh to help pass whatever it is. And I think that’s gonna weaken the efforts of … immigration enforcement,” Crane told Fox News Digital. House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., told reporters earlier this week that he would favor a mid-length CR over something shorter. “If we do two weeks and they leave for a week, it’s really a one-week CR. Nothing’s going to happen when that many important people are gone. So I think four weeks makes a lot more sense,” Cole said. But committee member Rep. John Rutherford, R-Fla., panned the idea of a CR altogether. “CRs don’t work. CRs are not without pain. It disrupts a lot of your supply chain and purchasing and acquisition,” he told Fox News Digital. “I can’t believe they’re even thinking about it.” Rutherford, a former sheriff, argued that a shutdown or CR would harm critical national security operations during a year that’s expected to see a host of high-security events in the U.S. like America’s 250th anniversary celebration, the FIFA World Cup and others. Johnson declined to share his thoughts on CR length when asked by Fox News Digital on Tuesday, but emphasized the House GOP’s position that the Senate should take up the bipartisan bill that Democrats initially walked away from. “I’m not going to prejudge the length of it or what it should be. I’m very hopeful. I mean, we still have time on the clock. When there’s a will, there’s a way. And if they can come to an agreement on this and get it done, that will behoove the whole country,” Johnson said. House GOP leaders will likely need nearly all Republicans on board to pass a CR for DHS, with many Democrats warning they will not support any funding for the department without seeing proof of critical reform. Jeffries would not go into specifics about what he would support or oppose in terms of DHS funding during his weekly press conference on Monday, but he suggested to reporters that a simple stopgap funding bill with no changes to ICE funding was out of the question. “ICE is out of control right now. The American people know it, and ICE clearly needs to be reined in,” Jeffries said. “Our position has been clear. Dramatic changes are needed at the Department of Homeland Security before a DHS funding bill moves forward. Period. Full stop.”
Harris praises Minneapolis resistance to immigration enforcement as ‘beautiful example’ for country
Former Vice President Kamala Harris said Minneapolis’ resistance to recent immigration enforcement efforts “is such a beautiful example” for the United States. Harris made the remark Wednesday night during a stop of her book tour at the Macon City Auditorium in Georgia, where she also said, “There are moments where we just must be intolerant and say we’re not having that.” “In Minnesota, in what we’ve been seeing in Minneapolis, is such a beautiful example. To your point, look at what’s been happening where folks in the community, who don’t necessarily know each other. They’re coming out with their whistles and blowing their whistles to alert people in the community about what might be happening that is a threat to the members of the community, they’re pulling out their smartphones, their cell phones, and they’re taking the video, and they’re looking out for their neighbors,” Harris told a crowd of about 300 attendees. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for comment. REPUBLICAN LAWMAKER SHOCKED AFTER ANTI-ICE SHERIFF WAS STUMPED BY ‘FIFTH-GRADE CIVICS’ QUESTION Harris also said at one point during the event that she was there to “advocate intolerance.” “And in this moment, where so many people are rightly and understandably feeling fear and anxiety, we got to take back our power. We got to take back our power and, and I’m seeing increasingly that, I think, after the shock of witnessing some of the stuff that we’ve been seeing is wearing off, people are kind of done,” Harris said. “They’re like, ‘I’m just, I’m not going to tolerate this.’ And I am here to advocate intolerance. We teach intolerance for so many good reasons about so many things, and we must maintain that. But you understand what I’m saying, there are moments where we just must be intolerant and say we’re not having that,” she added. HOMELAND SECURITY HAMMERS DEMOCRAT GOVERNOR’S PORTAL TO TRACK ICE AGENTS Harris spoke for more than an hour, discussing a range of topics including her upbringing, the current political landscape and what the future holds for her. While she never mentioned President Donald Trump by name, she referenced him several times, referring to “him,” “this man” and “this administration.” Harris also said it is “critically important that we stand up and fight for the principles that we hold deep and the ideals upon which we were founded.” Fox News’ Andre Tinoco contributed to this report.