A fatal shooting in Minneapolis this weekend has suddenly put the federal government on the brink of a partial shutdown. Just hours after Border Patrol agents shot and killed an armed man on Saturday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced that he and his fellow Democrats are refusing to support a key funding package.
The issue centers on a bill that funds the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Schumer made it clear late Saturday that Democrats won’t provide the votes needed to pass the broader six-bill spending package if it includes this current version of the DHS funding.
He called the events in Minnesota “appalling” and said the current bill doesn’t do enough to fix what he views as abuses by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
READ: “Cowardly Thugs” vs. “Massacre” Attempt: Minneapolis Explodes After Fatal ICE Shooting
This creates a serious time crunch for Washington. The Senate has a deadline of January 30 to pass these bills to keep several government agencies running. Because Republicans only hold 53 seats in the Senate, they can’t pass the package alone.
They need at least some Democrats to join them to reach the 60 votes required to move forward. Without that support, the U.S. could see a partial government shutdown in just a few days.
The tension spiked after Saturday morning’s incident where Border Patrol agents shot 37-year-old Alex Pretti during a targeted operation in Minneapolis. Authorities stated Pretti was armed with a semi-automatic handgun at the time. This shooting happened just over two weeks after another incident where an ICE officer killed a woman named Renee Good, whom the agency claimed had used her vehicle as a weapon.
Following the news, Schumer took to social media to say he would vote “no” on the spending bill, stating that Republicans were refusing to stand up to President Trump regarding ICE reforms. He also expressed support for removing ICE agents from Minnesota entirely, a stance shared by other local politicians like Rep. Ilhan Omar.
READ: U.S. AG Pam Bondi Blames ‘Sanctuary’ Policies For Minnesota Violence After Shooting
Political analysts are now warning that a shutdown looks very real. Jake Sherman, founder of Punchbowl News, called the situation a “nightmare” for the Senate. He pointed out that with the House on recess and the Senate needing time for procedural votes, there is very little room to maneuver before funding runs out on Friday.
The funding bill in question had already struggled to pass the House earlier in the week, squeaking by with support from only seven moderate Democrats.
It also faces some internal criticism on the right; for instance, the package includes over $2 billion for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), which some conservatives have criticized regarding free speech concerns.
With both sides digging in, the path to keeping the government open has suddenly become much harder to see.
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