https://motube.smithandtech.com/videos/watch/56ee4b8b-675d-4b88-9b83-96e38f9daaa1 Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) on Thursday said Democrats were following the will of the people by blocking a Homeland Security Department funding bill in the absence of reforms to immigration enforcement operations.   "Today's strong vote was a shot across the bow to Republicans. Democrats will not support a blank check for chaos," he said at a press conference.   Senate Democrats prevented the Homeland Security Department funding bill from advancing, all but guaranteeing a partial government shutdown will begin early Saturday morning. The procedural vote was 52–47, falling short of the 60 votes needed to move forward.   "This vote today asked a simple question: will you rein in ICE's abuses, or will you vote to extend the chaos?" Sen. Schumer said. "Republicans chose chaos, and the Democrats, we refused."   The Homeland Security Department — which oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) — is currently operating under a stopgap funding measure set to expire at midnight Friday.   Even with a lapse in funding, ICE and CBP are expected to continue operations, given the significant funding they received from Republicans' "one big, beautiful" reconciliation bill passed last summer.   Democrats are seeking changes to immigration enforcement operations in the wake of the killings of two American citizens in Minneapolis last month. They say they will provide votes to extend the department's funding only if Republicans agree to significant reforms.   Republicans and Democrats have exchanged proposals, but little progress has been made toward a bipartisan agreement.   Without a breakthrough, senators are expected to leave town Thursday and remain in recess next week for the Presidents' Day holiday.   "At the moment, we're not close," Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) told reporters. "If and when there's a breakthrough, we'll make sure people are here to vote on it."   Watch more by tapping the link in our bio. Tue, 05 May 2026 15:44:37 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html PeerTube - https://motube.smithandtech.com https://motube.smithandtech.com/lazy-static/avatars/933c9118-81c8-4e69-a82c-512c3a13a060.jpg https://motube.smithandtech.com/videos/watch/56ee4b8b-675d-4b88-9b83-96e38f9daaa1 All rights reserved, unless otherwise specified in the terms specified at https://motube.smithandtech.com/about and potential licenses granted by each content's rightholder.